


An Unplanned Situation

by EternallyTired86



Series: Adrien's Babies [1]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Angst, Mpreg
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-28
Updated: 2019-09-03
Packaged: 2020-09-28 05:29:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 32,965
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20420693
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EternallyTired86/pseuds/EternallyTired86
Summary: When an akuma leaves Adrien in a situation he never thought possible, he has no idea what to do. He only knows nothing will be the same again, and things only become awkward when his cousin, Felix, comes to help.Meanwhile Gabriel and Nathalie are on a time limit to fulfill their wish to save Emilie. They have 31 weeks to get both Miraculouses. The problem: Chat Noir is missing. And when he returns, he is much more efficient.Lila has a scheme of her own too. She wants Adrien, and has no plans of dealing with motherhood in the process. Solution? Get rid of Adrien's child.





	1. Chapter 1

Burning clumps of charcoal stung Adrien's throat as he hunched over the toilet, emptying his stomach. He heaved and tears ran down his cheeks as he clutched at the seat. The short amount of time spent between jerking out of bed and throwing up was dizzying, and it didn't make the nausea any better.

"Adrien?" Plagg cautiously floated near him, casting a concerned expression in his direction.

"I'm okay." Adrien's voice hitched back. He was not okay.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure." He wasn't sure.

Plagg wasn't convinced and Adrien knew it. His words contradicted the uncertainty and fear they dripped with. He had been feeling bad for several weeks, but that was putting it lightly. He was exhausted from little and tired after the shortest of days. Nothing could quell how relentlessly ill he was. He wasn't just feeling like roadkill constantly, it hit him in waves when he least expected it. He could be getting out of bed just fine, walk downstairs with no problem, but the moment he made it to the kitchen where Nathalie had breakfast ready, he was holding back the urge to retch his stomach out of his body.

Weeks. It had been happening for weeks. Plagg was persistent in trying to suggest a certain possibility, but he wouldn't take it. Adrien wouldn't believe the words his kwami was saying. He wouldn't even let him finish, because it wasn't true. It wasn't. He simply had a stomach virus, that's what it was.

He was sick and it had nothing to do with that akuma two months ago.

The akuma, called Fertility, was a woman who discovered she was barren, and her power was to set off a pregnancy in anyone she hit. As Chat, he took a blow for Ladybug. But the public hadn't wanted her to use Miraculous Ladybug because most of the people hit were happy about it. And he was male, there was no way, so he didn't worry.

"I'm just sick, Plagg!" He snapped when Plagg tried to bring it up.

Plagg sighed, undeterred by his chosen's short temper, "You keep saying that, but you and I both know it isn't true."

Adrien bit his lip and looked away, not wanting to address what was a high possibility at this rate. He looked out into the rising sun gleaming from the window, holding back the tears threatening to spill over. Time passed by slowly, but the sun continued to rise. The day would start soon, but he wasn't ready to face it.

Turning back to look at his companion, he murmured, "What do I do?"

Plagg took those four words as permission to get closer and nuzzle against Adrien, "Talk to Nathalie or your father, figure this out. If this is what I think it is, you're going to need help."

"I'm talking to you."

"You know what I mean. As much as I want to help you, there's only so much a kwami can do."

"Do I have to do it now?" Adrien asked. He had not been ready for this. Not yet.

Plagg sighed, "Get some rest. All I've been doing to eating and sleeping a lot; it works wonders."

Nodding, Adrien didn't bother brushing out the taste of vomit from his mouth. He pushed himself up and made his way to his large bed. He probably going to even try making it to a photoshoot, the only thing on his mind was the comfort of bed.

He pulled the blanket up to cover his form and snuggled into his pillow, looking to find consolation in its warmth.

OoOoO

The smell of bacon was the only thing in the room. It filled the empty spaces and covered the walls, bouncing back and filling Adrien's senses. Or maybe that was his nerves making his sense of smell insane. Maybe it was his resolve breaking apart in the boiling tension of his pulse. They were softening and crumbling in his sweaty palms.

Sizzling. Snapping back at him when he tried to calm them. It wasn't working. He felt clammy and his heart was running a marathon, speeding up even more when he thought about what he was about to do. He was about to confess to his father what he hadn't even admitted to himself. He wanted to go back to bed and dream everything away, but it was too late.

When he got to the dining room table, his father was sitting at the table, and Adrien sat down as well. If his father noticed the strain of his smile, he didn't say anything.

"Something's bothering you." Gabriel said. It wasn't a question.

"W-what makes you say that?" Adrien looked at the wall just past his father's face.

Gabriel stared at him sympathetically, shocking really, but he had been ill for a couple weeks now, "You look like you're about to pass out." He sighed, "Talk to me. You've been ill for a little over two months now. Do you need anything? Your friends?" Since he kept vomiting and had had a couple fainting spells, he had been forced to be pulled out of school until he was well again, something that didn't seem to be happening any time soon. The only good thing about this was his father acting more like a father.

Adrien took a shuddering breath, "I'm here to eat breakfast.” He was backing out. Why was he backing out?

Gabriel raised an eyebrow, "Just like you've been ‘eating breakfast’ for the past couple months? Don't think I haven't noticed. You're worrying me, Adrien." He was holding his son’s hands now. His sweaty hands that crushed his resolve, "You're sick everyday and you haven't been eating well. I wouldn't be so concerned if that was it, but there's clearly something you're not telling me. I won't push, but I want to help you."

Adrien was avoiding eye contact again, he did genuinely feel really bad for making people worry, "I don't want you to be mad at me…" He whispered.

"I won't be mad, I promise."

"You can't promise that," Adrien's head was in his hands, "You can't say you won't be mad. You don't know that, I-I don't even know. I could be imagining things, but I don't know what to do anymore. I'm freaking out and I'm scared."

A kiss to his shaking knuckles, "Why are you scared?"

"I…" He tried to swallow the lump in his throat, but it only grew. It was getting harder to hold everything in, to not break down and cry in his father's arms.

Gabriel waited patiently for him to get his thoughts together and rebuild his nerves. He simply nodded encouragingly and rubbed his hands, offering up as much warmth and comfort as he could.

"I-I think..." Adrien gulped, "I think I'm pregnant."

Gabriel's eyes widened, something between terror and his brain unsure if he heard that right, “What?!”


	2. Chapter 2

"Well Adrien," Dr. Amaru said, "You're pregnant. Nine weeks along to be exact.” He gestured to a chart, “It seems that the akuma managed to alter your organs entirely to even harbor a baby. It’s truly a phenomenon. Never thought I would see something like it. And there were STD zombies, so that’s saying a lot.”

"What does this…pregnancy…entail?" Gabriel asked, and he wasn't trying to hide the concern in his tone. He was clearly ready to be sick. There was guilt there for some reason Adrien’s couldn’t pinpoint, but he could also tell the moment they were alone his father was going to flip out.

"It means the baby has a heart beat." The doctor explained calmly, and Adrien felt faint with his shirt off, resting on the patient bed, "Your new resident, Adrien, is nearly an inch long—about the size of a grape-and weighs just a fraction of an ounce. It's starting to look human and the baby's essential body parts are accounted for, though they'll go through plenty of fine-tuning in the coming months. The embryonic ‘tail' is completely gone. The baby's organs, muscles, and nerves are kicking into gear. The external sex organs are there, but won't be distinguishable as male or female for another few weeks. Its eyes are fully formed, but the eyelids are fused shut and won't open for another eighteen weeks. The placenta is developed enough now to take over most of the critical job of producing hormones. Now that your baby's basic physiology is in place, it's poised for rapid weight gain.” He paused, “If you don’t mind, for the sake of my own mind I’m going to pretend I’m talking to your mother, since you look like a male version of her. So forgive me if I accidentally call you Emilie.” Dr. Amaru was the doctor to help Emilie have Adrien, so he was the one Gabriel trusted to help them with this little situation.

Adrien had his head in his hands, "Oh god…" it was sinking in. He was going to be a Dad. He wasn’t sure whether to shriek, cry, puke, or all of the above. After a second, his body made the choice for him and he started bawling.

Gabriel paused, "Do you mind if I have a word with my son so we can discuss what we plan to do?"

Dr. Amaru nodded, walking out the door.

"You want me to abort the baby." Adrien said through shaky sobs, knowing what would be said. Gabriel stood up and started pacing,

“How could this have happened?! You are sixteen, Adrien, sixteen years old! You should be worrying about college and your future, not debating what to do about a fetus in your stomach.” Gabriel pulled out a flask of something to took a long sip, “Okay. Baby has a heartbeat, so I know you will fight me if I try making you get an abortion. Great, just great.” He seemed to be mostly talking to himself.” He pinched the bridge of his nose, “Am I right to assume you will run away to have the kid on your own and probably die in the process if I try making you get an abortion?”

“If I’m being honest with myself, probably.” He felt hot tears in his eyes, "The baby has a heartbeat. If I abort it, I'd be killing a person." He put a hand on his flat stomach, "I don't know what to do…but I think…I want to keep it."

Gabriel nodded dejectedly to himself, "Okay then. That's your choice, and I'll support you in it. But just know I am freaking out right now, and the second you decide you don’t want to go through with it, I will still support you.”

Dr. Amaru came back in, "I couldn't help but hear because I may have been eavesdropping, but you've decided to keep the baby."

“It’s complicated. Just…” Adrien sighed, "Tell me what I'm in for. Please?"

Dr. Amaru shrugged, "You don't look pregnant, even if your waist is thickening a bit. You probably feel pregnant, though, hence why you're here asking about it. Not only are morning sickness and other physical symptoms in full force for most…but you may feel like an emotional pinball as well."

"If you mean crying every hour or so, then yeah.” Gabriel was back to pacing. He did not like this one bit, Adrien could tell, but there was a small part of him that was happy his father was worried. That meant he cared. And he understood his son well enough to know even trying abortion wouldn’t end well.

Dr. Amaru shrugged, before turning to Gabriel, “Mr. Agreste, do you need to step outside?”

“No. I’m just trying to wrap my head around this. Continue.”

The doctor looked at his tablet, “Mood swings will be common now—it's perfectly normal to feel alternately elated and terrified about becoming a parent. Try to cut yourself some slack. Most women find that moodiness eases in the second trimester, and then reappears as pregnancy winds to a close." He filed some things on his tablet, "When it comes to pregnancy symptoms: your clothes will be getting tighter around the waist, you're running to the bathroom 100 times a day—if it isn't to throw up, it's to pee. But there's _more_. You'll be having trouble lifting your head off the pillow, be dragging your feet all day and you can't wait to crawl into bed as soon as you arrive home at night. Sound familiar?" Adrien nodded, so Dr. Amaru continued, "Extreme pregnancy fatigue is a common symptom, _especially_ in the first trimester. And for good reason: Making a baby is hard work, especially in your case because this isn't something you were biologically designed to do. Your body is working overtime preparing for parenthood as it develops the placenta, your baby's lifeline. What's more, your body's metabolism and hormone levels have increased significantly, which triggers a decrease in blood sugar and blood pressure—a recipe for fatigue. Needless to say, PE is out of the question."

"You're saying all the bad things." Gabriel groaned, "If you don't want to panic us, get to the good stuff."

"Come on, you're joking, right? You were here with Emilie sixteen years ago, you should remember the pain that is the first trimester.” He sighed, “Fine. Relief is around the corner as your energy level increases, and morning sickness decreases, over the next few weeks, once placenta construction is completed in the second trimester. The not-so-good news: Tiredness is likely to reappear during the third trimester as the demands of toting around a larger fetus increase. Let's just say the second trimester is going to be your best friend, months four through six."

"Four more weeks to go." Adrien drawled, mentally counting down the days. He was already done being pregnant and didn't wish this upon anyone. He would be more polite, but he hadn't had a good anything in weeks. "Anything for the nausea?"

"Now we're getting somewhere." Dr. Amaru smiled a bit, "Dealing with nausea and vomiting during pregnancy isn't easy—but it's especially hard when you're anxious to start feeding yourself and your baby well. Don't worry. As challenging as your first trimester appetite is right now, it's still up to the challenge of filling your baby's nutritional needs—since he or she's just a little bigger than a grape right now, those needs are pretty tiny, too. Instead of large meals, eat at least six smaller but nutrient-packed mini-meals and snacks throughout the day. Not only will the mini-meals be easier for your queasy stomach to...um...stomach, but keeping your stomach a little bit filled is the best way to keep it from emptying out over the toilet. Right now, focus on foods you find less offensive—even if you’re like your mother and its crackers, crackers and more crackers—and choosing a healthy option whenever your stomach doesn't protest—make those crackers whole grain and serve them up with a slice of cheese."

Adrien chucked a little, knowing he had so much cheese in his room it wasn't even funny. The Camembert had been moved to residing in his piano which was hidden under the floor, since he was too weak to get out of bed most of the time. Even smelling that stuff sent him over the edge.

"What do we do about work and school?" Gabriel asked, "I pulled him out when the vomiting and fainting happened one too many times, but if he's going to be caring for a baby, do I even bother putting him back in?” Adrien paled. He hadn’t thought about that. A baby would be hard work, would this even give him time for school?

"That depends on the following questions. Are you having any complications? If you have frequent visits to your healthcare provider or are very preoccupied, you might feel relieved if you settle things for the moment. How sick are you? Since you're suffering from near-constant nausea and frequent vomiting, you may have to tell your supervisor or caretaker about your pregnancy earlier than you'd prefer. Before you tell them, figure out what you want: Compassion? Time off? A flexible schedule until you get through the worst of it? Ask for what you need. Lastly, is your job strenuous or potentially dangerous? For your baby's sake and your own, you'll probably want to come clean early on. Making your announcement right away will allow you to talk about changing your job responsibilities in a timely manner. But you could always just continue with homeschooling until the baby is born."

Adrien thought about it. He was a superhero, danger was in the description. Did that mean he couldn't be a hero anymore?

"I understand. Thank you.”

OoOoO

Gabriel didn't know what to do! Adrien was pregnant. _He_ was _sixteen_ and was going to be a father. Meaning Gabriel was going to be a grandfather, and it was all his fault. How had he not seen the signs? To be fair, he didn't remember seeing Adrien get hit…wait…didn't Chat Noir get hit?

That meant one of three things. One: Chat Noir was pregnant, and probably wouldn't be on the field, meaning he'd have to wait at least seven months for the baby to be born to get the Miraculous. Two: Adrien was Chat Noir, but that had been disproven. Three: Chat Noir would try to hide the pregnancy from Ladybug and in the process make himself more vulnerable and it would be easy to snatch the Miraculous. Gabriel prayed to every god out there for the third one. He really didn't want to have to help his son through pregnancy and parenthood alone, especially since Emilie would probably _kill_ him for this.

He sighed. He wished Adrien had chosen to abort the baby, but it was his decision to keep it, and he would support his son. It would ruin his image to force an abortion anyway and it was just like Adrien to run away to keep the baby alive and die in childbirth trying to have a child on his own. So, he'd be supportive.

That didn't stop him from hoping for a miscarriage.

OoOoO

Adrien paced his room, subconsciously placing a hand on his stomach. Plagg had been sitting on the bed, letting things unfold, because he couldn't really intervene with his owner’s thought process.

"What do I do, Plagg? If I continue being Chat Noir, I could endanger the baby."

"Don't worry about that too much." Plagg said, "The suit's magic hides the pregnancy completely, even when full term. Victoria did it all the time when pregnant."

Adrien turned in shock, "Like Queen Victoria?!"

"Yup. She had nine children, and hated every second of it because people confined her and tried to keep her 'safe' so she would transform and just run for a while. Although she hated pregnancy and childbirth, detested babies, and was uncomfortable in the presence of children, Victoria reigned in a society that idealized both motherhood and the family."

"Then why did she have nine children?"

"She had a very good relationship with her husband."

He rolled his eyes, "Didn't need to know that."

"Nope, but I decided to tell you. Obviously this is the first time I've dealt with a man being pregnant, but this isn't the first time I've dealt with pregnancy. So you need to stay active, but not overly so, eat proper foods—go look them up—and you're fatigued, so you need rest. And no more eating the bare minimum, and you will be getting treats from Marinette's bakery, you're no longer caring for just you. And I'll let you do patrols, but no akumas unless they're unintimidating like Mr. Pigeon. That's a little kitten in your stomach, and you're my kitten, so we're going to get through this together. But I do recommend telling Ladybug about this. You're telling your friends tomorrow, so this will just be one more."

Adrien nodded. He was really nervous to tell his friends. Worse, his cousin Felix was coming over to ‘help’ whatever that meant. "Okay…" he hadn't been going to patrols or fighting akumas because he was too sick, he hoped she wasn't mad. "Claws out…”

OoOoO

To say Ladybug was frustrated was an understatement. No, she was furious. But also worried. Chat Noir hadn't been to any patrols or akumas for weeks, two weeks after Fertility was when he stopped, that that's what had her worried. Around the same time, Adrien had fainted twice in school and got pulled out. Both of the most important blonde men in her life her gone and she was worried, but in the case of Chat, she was trying her bast to replace it with anger.

"M-My lady?" That voice… she turned and saw her partner standing there, smiling weakly, "Hi."

"Chat Noir!" She tried to hide the happiness and replace it with anger, but she failed, "I was worried. Are you alright?"

Chat looked away, "Um…that's why I came, I'm not going to be able to fight akumas for a while. I can do patrols, but not the fighting."

"Why?" She was getting scared now, "Are you sick?"

"Not exactly…remember Fertility?"

"How could I forget?" Realization dawned on her, "Oh no. You're..."

"Yup. We had reason to worry about me getting hit. I've been vomiting out my gut for weeks and am too weak to stand most of the time. I just found out about it today, that apparently my organs decided to arrange themselves to help the baby, and decided to come clean to you and apologize for not being around. I'm grateful for Rena Rouge, Carapace and Queen Bee."

"Chaton…" she cupped his cheek, calm on the outside but panicked on the inside, ”I'm not mad. Don't get me wrong, I've been trying to be mad, but you clearly have a bigger issue. Parenthood…is going to be hard, I won't lie. But you'll always have support with me.” She handed him a piece of paper, “It’s my Ladybug e-mail. If you need anything at all, from chocolate to just someone to talk to, I will drop everything to help you.”

Chat had tears in his eyes, both from joy of being supported by the girl of his dreams, and the hormones increasing the feeling thousand-fold, ”Thank you, M'Lady. That means a lot. So what have I missed?"


	3. Chapter 3

Adrien hated his new routine in the mornings. Wake up, vomit for five minutes, clean up, brush teeth, vomit again, clean up again, eat breakfast, vomit again, clean up again, and at that point, it isn't even 7:15.

Cue repeating the cycle that morning, only today he tried putting on jeans, which led to groaning in frustration that the jeans were too small now.

"Damnit. Come on, jeans, fit!" He finally got them on, but he felt like he was losing circulation in his feet, so he changed back into sweat pants, only to find stretch marks on his thighs. "Damn. This is the beginning of the end."

"Yup." Plagg said, "Wait until the baby bump starts up, then all that calm you have will die."

Adrien sighed, "Why am I even so calm? Why is my father so calm? And that's only one of the many other questions I have about this situation."

Plagg shrugged, eating some cheese, "Well…for the pregnancy thing, I would blame the bad luck brought upon by my powers for starters. As for the calm, you're still partially in denial, and your father is supporting you, so you aren't alone in this. Your father was screaming last night at nobody in particular, and I was snooping around the house looking for cheese and saw Nathalie putting some sort of alcohol into both her and his coffee. So I'd say they're just trying to remain calm in front of you and are otherwise panicking."

That made partial sense, but he still had so many damn questions, he'd have to ask Ladybug for the whereabouts of Master Fu's living space so he could go ask. Most people would just shrug it off, because magic, but it was mainly the topic of DNA that had him curious. He was going to be keeping the baby regardless, but he would like an answer to his questions.

Nathalie came in, and Plagg hid,

"Nino's here, and Marinette's parents called, saying she was staying at Alya's and they would be over in twenty minutes."

"Okay." Nino came in and hugged him,

"Adrien! Bro, how're you feeling?"

Adrien shrugged, "Like death warmed up, but it could be worse. I finally found out what's going on with me and I'll tell you when Alya and Marinette get here."

Nino released the hug, worry marring his features, "You don't have cancer or anything, right? At least give me solace in that."

"No, I do not have cancer. I'll give you that, not that I don't feel like shit."

"I'd expect." Nino sat down beside his best friend he hadn't seen in weeks, "I brought this," he handed him a disk, "The class made it; basically, we wanted to save the trees and put any get well cards verbally on this disk, even Chloe had genuinely nice words. We're all worried about you, and there have been crazy theories going around."

"Such as…" Had anyone figured it out?

"Terminal illness was the leading one," Nino replied, "and the fact you're so pale supports the illness. Some people suggested Hawk Moth had cursed you into a sleeping-beauty style coma, and Gabriel was trying to hide it so random girls wouldn't come to molest you in your sleep. Some said you were kidnapped and the fainting and vomiting was a drug trying to take effect. There were a couple other ones, but nothing possible."

"We live in a world with the most random villains known to man, who's to say what's impossible anymore?" He looked down at his stomach, knowing the impossible had become possible with the second life growing inside him.

"True enough, but unless you're going to tell me you got turned into a woman and have been dealing with PMS for weeks and only now got cured, you don't need to worry." That earned the first genuine laugh from Adrien in months.

"Nope. Not that either. What have I missed?"

"Not much really, akumas have been at a low, i.e., not every other day and instead every third day, Chat Noir has been a no show, finals are coming up in school, so…yeah, there really isn't anything memorial to tell, other than I finally figured out Lila is a rotten liar. I think she wishes that pregnancy Akuma had hit her so she can get even more attention." Knowing Lila, Adrien didn't see that like something out of the realm of possibility; but being pregnant himself, he knew she would have deeply regretted it. Maybe it was just because he was male, but the websites he'd browsed made him think this was normal.

"I'm glad you realized it." He said, and there was another knock on the door, and Alya and Marinette came in.

"Adrien!" Marinette hugged him tight, and Alya just smiled, "I was so worried about you."

"I do not have cancer or any other terminal illness, just to clear that up. You might want to sit down, though." Marinette looked worried and saw down beside her other friends. Adrien sucked in a deep breath,

"So as you guys know, I've been very sick for the last couple of months. Well, it turns out I'm not sick at all. I…got hit by Fertility, that Akuma, nine weeks ago and didn't tell anyone. I-I-I'm pregnant."

Marinette's eyes widened, "Pregnant?"

"Yes."

"As in carrying a child in your stomach?"

Adrien frowned a little, "Yes…that's what pregnancy is, Mari."

Nino joined in, "Pregnant."

"Yes." Adrien was getting a little frustrated now.

"Prego."

"What?"

Alya poked Adrien's stomach, "So there is a bun in your oven." Adrien just sighed.

They sat in silence for just under a minute, before Nino lost it,

"Wh-Wh-WHAT?! What in the fucking fuck is this—no….I—what?" He squeezed his eyes shut, "Oh, you hear that? That's the sound of my brain caving in. HOW!? How does this make any sense at all?!"

"A question I've been asking myself since I learned of it, and I still don't have a clue."

"Just don't question it." Alya said, and she seemed to be the only one keeping her cool as Marinette may or may not have just gone into shock on the bed, "It will only start a mental argument you cannot win."

"Agreed."

Nino just shook his head, "So in like seven months you're going to have a kid. Let's not even get into how…"

"Nino, no. That topic kept me up last night." Adrien crossed his arms, "You're taking this a lot like I probably should have. My doctor says I'm still in denial and when the bump starts forming I'll lose my shit. But I'm keeping it, so…I guess I'll have to deal."

"So I'm going to be an uncle?" Adrien paused,

"I…guess?"

Nino just massaged his temples, "Don't get me wrong, I support you, I'm just trying to wrap my brain around this."

"I've found that blind acceptance in the face of my friend being pregnant, male, and still a virgin works wonders," Alya replied, looking at Marinette, who had curled herself into a ball and was muttering incoherent words. "I think Mari got herself in the mental argument."

"Yeah…" Adrien pursed his lips together, "So? Want something to eat? I could turn on a movie. I've been deprived of human interaction, and today is one of the rare days I don't just sleep in the bathroom or the stairs."

"Why would you sleep on the stairs?" Alya asked.

"I can't get comfortable on my bed for the life of me at times, so the stairs are a better option." He was referring to the spiral staircase that led to his video games. "On the bright side, being pregnant means that I can eat whatever the hell I want if I can stomach it."

Marinette shot up, "Adrien's pregnant?! WHAT!?" She looked up at Adrien, "Oh my god! Do you need anything? Just ask, and I'll get it! Dear god!"

"Welcome back to the land of the living." Adrien chuckled, "I'm fine right now, but if you want to sit on the couch, we can do that."

"How in god's name are you so calm?!"

"Subconscious Denial apparently. That or I'm just used to the strangeness that is life in Paris and know this barely makes the top ten, and it's not like my father won't be watching everything I do, so the odds of getting attacked by an Akuma or going into labor at a random point all alone is pretty much zero." He suspected he'd have nightmares about that, but Adrien probably wouldn't leave the house for anything other than doctor appointments, so he really didn't have to worry.

Alya sat down, "Seeing as this conversation is going to take a bizarre turn if we continue, let's not, and just watch a movie."

…

Marinette sat on the couch next to her friends, but she was still caught up in her own thoughts. Adrien was pregnant. Chat Noir was pregnant. Both of them were expecting a child. Was that a coincidence? It had to be. They were so different personality-wise, regardless of the physical resemblance. Unless Adrien had a Multiple Personality Disorder, the odds of them being one and the same were very slim, especially since she had seen the two together.

But the downside to that was that she needed to worry about both of them. Maybe she should have Chat reveal his identity, because from what she had heard over the last two years, his home life wasn't the best, so he probably needed it. Adrien at least was well cared for and wouldn't be alone in this, while Chat very well could be.

What would Hawk Moth do? If Chat stopped showing up for akumas for a few weeks, that could be blamed on a family emergency or a freak illness. But for roughly nine months? He would definitely put two and two together, what if he threatened the baby? Adrien's baby or even Adrien himself? She hadn't exactly hidden her soft spot for Adrien as Ladybug, what if that put him in danger? Use him or Chat's baby as leverage for the Miraculouses. She wasn't sure she wouldn't give up her earrings in a heartbeat to save them.

This was why Marinette decided that she would have kids after Hawk Moth was defeated, 1) because she was only sixteen, so duh, and 2) so her children wouldn't be used against her in the event her identity gets revealed. But Chat hadn't exactly had a choice in the matter, and if he was two months along, the baby had a heartbeat, and she knew him well enough to know he would never do it either way. Adrien was the same.

She sighed. That was all hypothetical talk. Maybe Hawk Moth would think Chat moved and just give up.

A man with nothing to lose is the most patient man.

Her mother told her that once, and Hawk Moth had described himself as such back on the Heroes' Day, so it would be possible for him to make akumas more dangerous until Chat is forced to make an appearance, and the stress of that could send her partner into labor and…

Why did this have to be so hard? She cared for them both, and now they both needed her.

And so she would be. She'd given Chat her email, so she'd help them both.

But right now, she'd cuddle with her crush and friends and watch this movie, and pretend that everything was okay for just a moment.

OoOoO

Nathalie and Gabriel were in the bar—they had one in the house. It was tough to keep a brave face in front of Adrien, when they both wanted him to abort the baby or miscarry, but they needed to stay sane for Adrien's sake. This couldn't be easier on him. Be he still insisted on keeping it.

"I'm going to be a grandfather…" he said as he downed another shot. Nathalie filled it again,

"Emilie's gonna kill us both," Nathalie responded.

"Then we'll die together." It was clear he was more than a little drunk, "You've always been loyal to me, you know that? Will you join me in grandparenthood?"

Nathalie shrugged, "I still think we could solve this situation. The plan was to revive Emilie. What if we wish to stop her from having been lost in the first place? Sure, there would be a butterfly effect, but Adrien would not be currently carrying a child because there would never have been an Akuma. No abortion, because Adrien would never have known the baby existed."

Gabriel slammed down his glass, "That's brilliant! Now, all we have to do is wish for it, be supportive and kind to Adrien, and if things just happen to change drastically, then there's nothing we can do about it."

"One thing, though." She responded, "We only have until the baby is born. Otherwise, it's murder."

Gabriel had his hands in his hair, "Okay. Roughly thirty-one weeks, that's _plenty_ of time." He stood up dramatically and held out a hand, "Mayura, will you join me in my quest to not be a grandparent for at least five more years?"

She nodded, "Yes, sir!" And so, the two drunk supervillains danced to the safe, then the lair, then the alcohol took its toll, and they both passed out.

Adrien had not the slightest idea to any of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I ship Gabriel and Nathalie more than I should. There will be bits of that. For now, I will settle with drunk discussion.


	4. Chapter 4

It had been a few weeks, and Adrien was elated to be in the second trimester. The morning sickness had started to fade, and his father agreed that he could be in school for the second trimester as long as he went a week without throwing up. This was because his cousin Felix was…a lot…and he'd be arriving in that night.

Another development: he was starting to show.

While he was still thin, now at a healthy weight instead of underweight, but there was a distinct bump forming, that while it was hidden by hoodies, was very clear to see when shirtless or with an ordinary shirt.

As promised, Adrien had lost his shit and was genuinely terrified for parenthood, but this child was his whether he liked it or not, and so he'd keep it.

He also decided that calling the baby 'it' was odd, so he privately called the child' kitten' or 'kit.' Marinette called the child' breadstick,' and Nino called it 'sunshine junior.'

"Plagg? Should I go to school?" He asked, "Remember Lila? She's crazy. And what if she or Hawk Moth hurts Kit."

"Adrien, relax." Plagg assured, "You have so many friends who care about you and will protect you and your child."

"I know…" He put a hand on his stomach again, "Are we still going to see Master Fu about Kit?" Plagg nodded and nuzzled against him.

"Everything is gonna be okay."

"I don't know." Adrien stood up and looked down at the bump that proved the existence of the child growing inside him.

Nathalie came in, "Ready?" He nodded and also nodded off in the car.

He got out and walked into the classroom, and everyone gasped,

"Adrien!" 

Rose ran over excitedly, "Oh my gosh, you're showing!" Wait. What?!

"How do you—?!" he looked down at his stomach. There was a tiny bump through the hoodie, but that could be mistaken for the bagginess of the hoodie.

Alya rubbed the back of her neck, "They knew we were going over there and practically beat us within an inch of our lives to tell them. But they're all fine with it. Rose is obviously thrilled, she loves babies."

Adrien chuckled, "So you're all really okay with this? I'll only be here until the third trimester. Because well…there are so many things that could go wrong, knowing me."

"It's okay Adrien." Kim said, wrapping an arm around him, "We've already got you out of PE, and the teachers are gonna keep your homework load down. Don't deny it, you need all the sleep you can get."

Lila came over, "Adrien… I'll support you…but are you sure this is safe for you? You aren't meant to carry a child, what if…?" She sounded like she cared for his safety, but he knew she just wanted him for his status and had no interest in him being a teen father.

"Look, father's got the best doctors for me, and I go in for appointments every week. Things have to go really wrong for me to not be fine." Lila huffed but was drowned out by thrilled classmates. The teachers were worried about him and treated him like a china doll—easily breakable.

Adrien was in the locker room when Lila forced him inside.

"Adrien! You cannot have this baby, you are going to be my boyfriend, and I will not put up with you having a stomach full of a kid!"

Adrien crossed his arms, "Lila, look. I am _not_ going to be your boyfriend, I am interested in someone else—someone who knows about my situation and is fine with it—someone who sees the real me and accepts it. And by god, that woman is. Not. You. It's Ladybug." Maybe it was the baby hormones kicking in, but this was his child and no lying, scheming bitch was going to change it. His baby was going to live, and Lila would go to hell for trying to take a new, innocent life for her own selfish reasons.

She slapped him. Honest to god slapped him. Then she pinned him against the wall,

"If you don't want to be my lover, fine! But soon you won't have any friends at all, because everyone short of Marinette stills sees me as a perfect little angel. I'll give you one last chance. You're either with me or against me."

"Against you." he snapped. 

She smirked, "From now on, you and I are at war. You will lose your friends and wind up all alone, and at the end of nine months, you will _die_ alone." She left with a flip of her hair and Adrien fell to the ground, tearing at his hair.

He didn't know how long he stayed there. If was a long time, he supposed, because he dully heard the bell ring and someone came in.

"Adrikins?" Chloe. She bent down beside him, "You okay? Is it the baby?" He shook his head to both. If he was honest with himself, he had had nightmares, painful, agonizing nightmares, of something going wrong with this. The feeling of his body being torn in two almost. Hawk Moth laughing and taking the child for his own nefarious purposes. And then he'd wake up, screaming, and vomiting. Hearing Lila bring up the idea brought all those nightmares back to his mind.

And then he was crying in Chloe's arms, letting her stroke his hair just like when they were little kids. This was the Chloe he had grown up with, who cared for him, honestly. 

"What happened?" She asked after a few minutes, and he told her what Lila said.

"I-I'm scared, Chlo. I'm trying so hard to be strong, but I'm not. I'm not ready for this, I don't know what to do. But I refuse to kill the baby."

Chloe looked down at him, rubbing soothing figure eights on his stomach and back.

"I wasn't okay with this at first. I was one of the only ones, and they all thought it was for reasons like what you tell me of Lila's. I was scared of losing you. You are my first and best friend. But then I thought about it. You have good doctors, and if you want to give this child life, I will support you."

"Really? She nodded.

"Don't get me wrong, if you change your mind, I'll still support you." he chuckled.

"Not gonna happen."

She just shrugged, "You better name me the godmother."

"Fine."

OoOoO

After Chloe's little chat, Adrien felt better. He told Gorilla that Marinette recommended a new doctor to him, and he was knocking on the door to Master Fu's. Ladybug had given him the address.

Fu opened the door, "Come in, Chat Noir." He came in, fidgeting with his ring.

"Hello, Master. I...uh...I'm sorry for not being around all that much. Please don't take my ring, Plagg's my lifeline." He said that last part quickly since that had been really stressing him out.

Master Fu handed him some tea with a smile, "Plagg knows more about childcare than one would expect. And his magic is the reason your child can even exist."

"You mean the DNA? I wanted to ask about that." Wayzz flew over,

"You see, it is Plagg's that even led to this being possible. Basically Adrien Agreste and Chat Noir count as to separate people as the two parents of this child. So this is purely your child, no other parent. But Plagg's magic is what tethers the Chat side to you. If we took the ring, it could lead to miscarriage or premature birth."

"However," Fu explained, "The Miraculous does need to be on the field. Is there anybody you have close to you at all times who could play the role of Chat Noir but also get the ring back to you within the day?" Adrien's mind immediately went to his cousin. But would Felix keep the secret? He hadn't seen his cousin since his mother went missing, which was nearly four years ago.

"I...might have someone. I know I can't endanger Kit."

"Kit?" Adrien looked down at his stomach, noticing Fu had placed a hand there,

"That's what I call the baby until I know the gender and can plan a name." Plagg rolled his eyes,

"If it's a girl, just name her Katherine. Kit for short." Fu was watching Adrien's stomach in amazement,

"I've never seen anything like this. You can already feel the child moving around. The first week of the second trimester means the baby's about the size of a small orange, a little bigger than a lemon, right?"

"Yeah. I personally feel I'm getting a little big for just an orange-sized baby in my stomach, but that might be the model in me talking."

"I do have to say you are a little bigger than expected, but remember that the rest of you other than your stomach in abnormally thin. The child's trying to make as much room as it can, which would typically be in your hips. You are built different, being male."

"I know." Adrien looked to where Plagg was eating mild cheddar so the smell of camembert wouldn't make his owner puke all over the Great Guardian. "So will I go to the full nine months?"

"I don't see why you wouldn't. I'll have to look in the grimoire for something to help you with the situation. We still have five months before the discussion of the actual birth comes in."

"My father plans to have a c-section done whenever the due date is."

"Good choice." Fu stood up to grab more tea, "How is your family taking this? I know Ladybug has been very worried since she knows your home life isn't the best." He tried to hide the blush at the idea of Ladybug being worried about him. A small part of him wanted to name the baby after her if it was a girl.

"My father hates every part of this, but I've heard him discussing with Nathalie that he wonders about the gender, but has a feeling its a boy. I think he'll come around eventually. Nathalie's been really worried, especially since I insisted on spending a little more time in school before I had a baby to take care of. There's only one thing I'm worried about...Lila Rossi. She threatened me in the locker room today, and I think she might try to hurt the baby."

"Don't worry, Adrien." Master Fu assured, "Stress is bad for the baby. Ladybug has also told me about her concerns on Ms. Rossi, just stay away from her and lay low unless you need to. Don't let your hormones control you, even if they tell you to throttle her."

Plagg growled a little, "If she hurts you, Adrien, _I_ will gladly cataclysm her. Oh, and I should warn you that the farther along in the pregnancy you get, the more I will start treating you like my kitten. I might start bringing you dead things or grooming you."

"Just don't bring me El Plaggo and I think I'll be good." Master Fu smiled,

"It was good to see you, Adrien. I would like it if you came to visit maybe a week after your doctor appointments so I can check your progress from a magical standpoint. Currently, you and the child are perfectly healthy. If things stay on the right track, you both will have a smooth delivery."

"Thank you, Master."

OoOoO

Adrien was watching some American sitcom, eating a massive container of at least ten flavors of ice cream, covered in gummi bears. His cravings were bizarre, so there was also carrots with honey in a bowl and chicken nuggets with pudding on a plate. Once he got to the car after his talk with Fu, he'd been hit by the cravings. Gorilla took pity on him and went to the store. He wasn't going to do this often, let the cravings control him, but he was pregnant and needed to put a few pounds on. He would be healthy, but this was an excuse for cheating on his model diet.

The door opened, and he barely processed the voice of his cousin, which was much like his own but deeper.

"Wow. Uncle Gabriel told me you were expecting, but I didn't think he was serious. Are you okay?" His tone was flat, as though he was either flabberghasted or bored.

Looking up, Adrien noticed that Felix looked quite a bit like him, other than he had pale blonde combed-back hair and light bluish-gray eyes. While Adrien wore casual attire regularly, Felix wore a light gray long-sleeved dress shirt underneath a gray vest, a black tie, dark gray dress pants, and black dress shoes. In his hands was a book, which he was reading as he sat down.

"Yeah, I'm pregnant. Not much other than that I can say." He held out some carrots, "Want some?" Felix recoiled,

"Eh...I'm good." Adrien turned to check to see if the door was closed. It was, and it was alone.

"Hey, Felix...would you keep a secret from father for me, and do me a huge favor?" Felix looked up from his book with narrowed eyes,

"Is this about the fact you're Chat Noir, but you don't want to endanger the baby?" Adrien spit out his ice cream,

"You know?!"

"I suspected before. But you've been pregnant for fourteen weeks, and Chat Noir has been 'missing' for the same amount of time. I know two plus two is four. And since I have no reason to tell my uncle, I have kept your secret and will continue to do so." Adrien hugged him, but Felix scooted away, "Whoa, personal space. I'm not all extroverted like you."

Adrien flushed, "Sorry." he held up the hand with the ring, and Plagg emerged, "So whenever there is an Akuma or a sentimonster, I will give you the ring, and you will be Chat Noir in my place. Then you have to give the ring back to me since it's helping keep the baby alive."

"Wow. Just...wow." Felix went back to reading, "Not what I expected. Your father just told me I will stay here until you give birth to act as your bodyguard in school. Apparently, I'm scarier to teenagers than your bodyguard is."

Adrien remembered the time with the first cologne commercial when Felix threatened to shove the cologne bottle up a stalking fan's ass. Yeah, the assumption of Felix being scary to teenagers made sense.

"Oh, Felix, there's this girl named Lila, she lies with every breath, and she's threatened to lie to make my friends turn against me."

"Well first of all," Felix said, not looking up from the book, "If they fall for her tricks and turn against you, they aren't really your friends. But I will call her out tomorrow. Retaliation be damned, I'm only here for five months, so I couldn't care less."

Plagg sat on Felix's shoulder, "A Court of Mist and Fury. Any good?"

"Vastly superior to the first book," Felix replied, "Finally we aren't dealing with the tool as much."

"Oh! Can I see it?" Adrien asked. Felix lurched away,

"I'm reading smut, leave me alone!" Then he got a look at Plagg. He blinked a couple times, before getting up and locking himself in the bathroom, "Leave me to my smut in peace! Today's been a weird day and I need reprieve!"

Adrien turned to Plagg, "What's smut?"

"Uh...you don't want to know. You're too innocent, and I won't let you be tainted by that stuff. Now eat your ice cream."

His stomach growled, and Adrien felt the baby moving around a little. Yeah, he needed to eat. Especially now that he was no longer worried about Chat Noir.

He wasn't sure if he was a bad person for being eager to see Felix verbally destroy Lila tomorrow.


	5. Chapter 5

When Adrien and Felix arrived at school, they found the seating chart had been arranged, so the two cousins were next to each other in the front. Adrien had forgotten that he used to call Felix "Belle" since he was always reading and literally leaped over someone's backpack while still reading. Felix was a bookworm, that much was obvious.

He was still reading, and Adrien was afraid to look over his shoulder in case Felix was reading smut since Plagg had warned him to stay clear.

People tried to greet the new student, but Felix ignored them all in favor of his book.

Until Lila came up.

"Oh, Sarah J. Maas!" She said happily, "You know, my parents know her personally—"

"Do shut up, Lila Rossi," Felix said, for the first time looking up from his book, "I've seen lying snakes like you before, and know you are nothing but trouble for myself and my cousin. So I am going to politely ask you to fuck off."

"How dare you?!" Alix snapped. Kim joined in,

"Yeah, Lila's always speaking the truth."

"Oh? Like how she saved Jagged Stone's kitten. Well, I was talking to Adrien last night about how Marinette personally knows Jagged Stone after she designed his album cover. So how about we ask him, since he's coming during lunch." Lila blanched for a moment, and everyone else was excited to see the rockstar.

Felix stood up, "Look, I am to be my cousin's bodyguard of the sort, so I'm going to set some things straight." He pointed at Alya, "Fact check before you post things on your blogs. I personally can disprove at least half of what you claim. The kiss when Oblivio happened was while they had amnesia and technically doesn't count since they care deeply for each other, but neither is ready for a relationship. And stop trying to expose their identities, since Hawk Moth would then find out and win." He pointed to Chloe, "Good job on being less bitchy, but you still have a long way to go." He looked to Marinette, "You need to grow a pair and stop dodging around your feelings. Stalking Adrien to protect him won't help. If you want to protect him, be upfront about it."

"What the—" Nino was startled, "Adrien cannot have told you this much!"

"I have insomnia, so I needed to pass the time somehow. I browsed the Ladyblog, stalked you all on social media for a bit, and I found an anonymous email from Ladybug for Adrien, checking on him. I asked a couple questions, and she answered honestly." Alya grinned like a maniac,

"I want to see these emails!"

"Well too bad. Because I can tell you idiots have believed the words of a liar over the girl you've known for years, so I couldn't give less of a fuck about what you want." he looked back to Lila, "Oh, and I have something for you," he dug into his bag, before pulling out his middle finger.

"Felix Agreste!" Miss Bustier came in, "Principal's office, now!" Felix stood up,

"No. Maybe if you knew how to do your fucking job, but you do not. Principal's office is the only punishment. What is this? That puzzle game: Kindergarten? And you didn't even check for a doctor's note for all of Lila's many 'injuries,' and I know this because I hacked into the nurse's database last night. Mrs. Rossi's signature is very different than the ones you have likely received," he held out a document with Mrs. Rossi's real signature, "So maybe me calling out your students isn't the problem, when I am only doing my job and protecting the only family I don't hate." Ms. Bustier gaped, before looking to Lila. And doing jackshit.

Adrien was shocked by all of this. He had no idea Felix would go so in-depth. He had always known Felix was perceptive, but he was noticing little things that Adrien himself hadn't seen.

After class, Adrien frowned to his cousin, "Did you seriously go through my emails?"

"Nope. I just noticed the email and talked to Plagg. Every good lie holds a kernel of truth, which is something Lila needs to learn. But I meant what I said about Jagged Stone and hacking into the system."

"What do you have against my father?" Felix hesitated,

"Nothing for you to worry about. But your mother helped me out of a rough spot, so I feel like I owe her to help you."

There was the sound of screaming, and they both saw Volpina flying above.

"Already?!" Adrien groaned loudly, "Come on!" They ran into the boys' bathroom and bolted the door shut. Adrien was on his knees, winded. Felix slid the ring off, and Adrien immediately felt infinitely more exhausted, on the brink of passing out.

Felix slipped on the ring, "Plagg, claws out!" Through half-lidded eyes, Adrien saw Felix's Chat Noir was very different from his own.

Kuroneko wore a black suit with no golden bell on his chest. He had cat ears, an actual cat tail, claws on his fingers, and a belt around his waist with compartments. Additionally, he wore mid-thigh high boots and a black face mask that covered his eyebrows and his nose. His sclerae were blue, and his hair was messier and untamed.

He looked at himself, "Well, this is strange. I think these cat ears are real." He then realized how pale Adrien had already become. He needed to deal with this Akuma fast.

Kuroneko swept Adrien into his arms and kicked the door down. He then saw Nino and passed Adrien to him,

"He's had a sudden bought of fatigue. Stay with him somewhere safe. Get him lots of water." Nino took Adrien, and gaped,

"Chat?"

"Chat's twin brother, Kuroneko. He's dealing with a personal issue, so I'm here to step in.” He crossed his arms, “Felix Agreste is already handled. Just take care of Adrien.”

Nino nodded and ran off, carrying Adrien bridal style. 

Kuroneko ran faster than he ever had in his life, very confused by the actual cat ears and tail. Or the speed.   
Ladybug was already there, and Kuroneko noticed the resemblance to Ms. Dupain-Cheng. He'd noticed before, but having seen the two in-person made it clear. Either they were twins or the same person. 

As Felix, his father, Victor Agreste, had taught him from a very young age to by hyper-observant. This trait led him to be utterly immune to magical glamours, and always noticed things others didn't. The downside was that life became dull, eternally able to see the outcomes.

That was why, even though he detested his uncle for never helping his family when they were in dire need, he was assisting Adrien. Emilie had helped Felix, and Adrien's situation hadn't happened before, therefore unpredictable. It might not be great for his cousin, but it made life more interest to have no idea what would happen.

Ladybug gaped, "Chat?"

"Chat's twin. Here to help." He got in a fighting stance, "So, do I cataclysm the fox bitch?"

"NO!" Ladybug shrieked, "Go for the akumatized object! Well..." she trailed off, before snapping back, "No. Don't kill Lila!" She looked at him, incredulously, "You are Chat's twin?"

"Yeah. Day and Night, am I right? Kuroneko, nice to meet you." he leaped up and grabbed Volpina. He read the Ladyblog and knew Volpina's powers, which was simple illusions. For someone who knew the truth about her skills, this was easy.

He did not expect her illusions to have grown and now included pain illusion. Not that it mattered too much. Yes, he felt like he was having his insides ripped out, but he was already on top of her. Still, he didn't like this feeling.

"Blackhole!" Volpina fell into the void. Kuroneko looked at his hands, and to the pearl earring on the ground.

Ladybug came down, "WHAT DID YOU DO?!"

"It was instinct." He replied, "And now...I don't know. It's my first day." Ladybug frowned,

"Chat never had that power." Kuroneko shrugged,

"Maybe that update finally kicked in. Seriously though, you are the one who gets all the upgrades. Now can you throw your ladybugs so I can get the ring back to my twin before he miscarries or something? The ring is the main thing keeping the baby alive." Ladybug then nodded,

"Miraculous Ladybug!" Everything was back to normal, and Lila was back. Ladybug smiled to Kuroneko, "Tell Chat that I will still get him anything. Now go to him." With that, Kuroneko ran off, and found Adrien in the locker room, looking significantly weaker, sipping water slowly. Nino was nowhere he could see.

"Where the hell is Lahiffe?!" He snapped, changing back and slipping the ring on Adrien's finger. 

"Fe...calm down..." Adrien panted, and Felix noted the exhaustion and how every breath was a struggle. He also noticed Adrien's legs were spread a little bit, "Nino's...just getting...more water." He continued to gasp until he tipped over into Felix's arms. 

"Adrien? Are you okay?" Adrien shook his head,

"Pain. Tired. It's getting a little better with the ring but..." Felix paled,

"Adrien, it's been maybe five minutes. I don't think you should be starting to miscarry that fast." Plagg emerged,

"If he were female he would have the day," the kwami explained, "but since him being male makes this delicate already, removing the ring causes a chromosome imbalance in the fetus much faster." Felix hesitated,

"Can you walk, Adrien?" When Adrien shook his head a little, Felix helped his cousin onto his back. "You're lucky you aren't that big yet, or I might not be able to carry you." 

Nobody stopped them from walking out since they could all see Adrien wasn't feeling well. Nino handed Adrien some more water, but the trip back to Fu's didn't take long.

Master Fu let them in, and Felix set his cousin down and brought him more water.

"I take it you are Adrien's cousin," Fu said to Felix, who nodded.

"Yes. I am. We're here because I was fighting an Akuma for five minutes and Adrien almost miscarried." Fu nodded dejectedly,

"I was afraid of this. Even for a female, this pregnancy would be complicated."

"How so? All the others affected by the Akuma haven't had issues."

"That's because those other women are not carrying a Twice Blessed child." Felix crossed his arms,

"Twice Blessed?"

"The child's existence was blessed by both the Butterfly and the Black Cat. A being made from Adrien's DNA, with the combined magic of two kwamis. Your child, Adrien, is going to have power and a lot of it."

Wayzz explained some more, "The others affected by the Akuma won't have such issues since it mainly increased fertility to the point of a guaranteed pregnancy next time they had sexual intercourse. But you, having been transformed, instead created a Twice Blessed. It's a delicate balance to keep this baby alive until it can be born."

"So Kit's gonna have superpowers." Adrien looked at his stomach, "Is this going to be like in movies with Kit's powers showing even in the womb?"

"I don't know." Master Fu admitted, "The last Twice Blessed child was over a thousand years ago. The only known thing is they say he could move mountains." 

"So what do we do about the akumas and the potential miscarriage every time Adrien takes off the ring?" Felix asked, "I know in six weeks, the miscarriage fear will become a premature birth fear, and that's worse since that option will be dangerous for Adrien."

Master Fu got up, pulling out the Miracle Box, "Here," he pulled out the snake Miraculous, "Sass' power will be able to be a temporary substitute for the Black Cat, giving you at least another hour. And the second chance power will allow you, Adrien, to go back five minutes tops if you really need to. But only activate it sparingly, since lord knows what will happen if Sass' Miraculous unwittingly makes this a Thrice Blessed child. Because...Adrien...there will very soon come a time when your child will start draining your life force to stay alive if needed, and will not hesitate to sacrifice you for its own survival. You really need to be careful."

"Thank you," Adrien said quietly, putting on the watch-thing, which could be hidden under his hoodie. Felix was observing every tiny detail about the place, and Adrien let himself sigh. It wasn't the baby's fault, but it kind of hurt, the idea Kit would sacrifice him to live.

"Shall we head back to the mansion or the school, Adrien?" Adrien looked up,

"I'm feeling better now. I think I can head back to the school," then he froze, placing a hand on his stomach, "Actually...maybe we should head home today. I don't want to put Kit under any more stress today. But I can walk." Felix nodded, calling Gorilla to pick up their stuff from school and they'd meet him at the Dupain-Cheng bakery.

"Oh, one more thing." Felix looked to Plagg, "Why do I have different powers than Adrien?" Adrien then also listened to Plagg, who suddenly became sheepish.

"I...I always could grant a wielder those powers. But I didn't want to endanger Adrien with them, and you needed to deal with akumas much faster now. So I gave you Blackhole and Black Storm, which won't start the countdown until detransformation. But..."

"But?"

"They sometimes give the person using them the curse of bad luck as a civilian."

"WHAT?!" Felix started swearing rather colorfully under his breath, some words Adrien didn't even know. They walked down the stairs and strolled down the street, 

…

"You're lucky your pregnancy is so delicate, meaning this is a necessity; otherwise, I might throttle you."

Lila heard the new boy say that to Adrien as they walked down the street. Seeing as they had just come out of a massage shop from the looks of it, and were walking in the direction of Marinette's bakery, she assumed the new boy was referring to the pains and the cravings. Still, she wanted to make sure.

Slipping into the massage shop, an old man looked to her, "Welcome to my massage shop. Do you have an appointment?"

"Was that Adrien Agreste in here a moment ago?" She asked, "I'm his friend at school and was worried when he left early. I'm Lila."

"Well, Lila," the old man turned, "Mr. Agreste had an appointment for back pain, which is typical in his situation. But he was telling me about you, and how stressful you are, and are most certainly not a friend. So I will not reveal anything confidential." Lila wanted to growl, but she managed to suppress it, putting on a mask of toxic sweetness,

"I just overheard Felix saying Adrien's pregnancy was delicate, and I was curious."

"If you're trying to cause a miscarriage, you won't get any help from me. Get out." That sent Lila out in a temper tantrum, where she seethed, before getting a brilliant plan that led her to the Agreste mansion.

"Mr. Agreste?" She was let in, and Gabriel was sitting in his office with his assistant.

"Yes, Ms. Rossi? I haven't asked for an update, and you were akumatized after all." Lila had to take deep breaths,

"Are you sure letting Adrien have this child is a good idea? He already had a bought of exhaustion and collapsed at school. He's fine now, at the bakery satisfying cravings. This isn't good for his modeling career."

Gabriel nodded, "The only reason I'm letting him is that I know forcing an abortion is a terrible idea if I want him to live."

"What if...there was a miscarriage...or someone knew how to cause one in a way that would leave you entirely blameless?" Gabriel brightened,

"You would do that?"

"I care about Adrien," she lied, "Teen pregnancy is life-changing enough, and a disaster for his future. Then there's childbirth, and the pain alone might send him into shock." Gabriel nodded,

"You have until he reaches the third trimester. So thirteen weeks. After that and any attempt on the life of my grandchild will make you regret being born. And no method is to endanger Adrien's life." Then he smirked, "Say... you hate Ladybug, right? Wish to help me with something else?" 

Lila was startled that he knew, but couldn't help but let out her darker side, "I want that spotted bitch dead." 

"I'm glad to hear it." He opened his safe and handed her a brooch in the shape of a peacock, "Here. Use this." That was when Lila put two and two together.

"You're Hawk Moth!" He nodded,

"Yes, and I know very well your true nature, Ms. Rossi. So will you help me, or should I leave an anonymous tip that you've been assisting a terrorist, lie with every breath to the people of Paris, and are trying to kill Adrien's child? Nobody will believe a word you say, so it's not like you could expose me." Lila groaned, taking the brooch,

"I'll help you, Mr. Agreste." Gabriel nodded,

"I look forward to working with you, Le Paon."

When Lila left, Nathalie looked to Gabriel,

"Sir, why did you do that? I can help you." Gabriel smirked,

"I know that very well, Nathalie. But I don't want you to get hurt, while I don't care if Ms. Rossi lives or dies. Your job is to find the guardian, so we can get more Miraculous to use, then you can re-enter the battlefield." He looked out the window and saw Gorilla arrive with Adrien and Felix, who had bags and bags of sweets, and Ms. Dupain-Cheng. Even from a distance, Gabriel could see Adrien's baby bump, and for a moment he saw Emilie when she had been expecting Adrien. 

He sighed.

…

  
"Thanks for getting us this great food, Marinette," Adrien said, changing into a long nightshirt, sweatpants, and a baggy sweatshirt. It was much more comfortable than yoga pants since they weren't as tight on his thighs.

"It's nothing, Adrien." She assured while Felix was reading quietly in the corner, "You're doing hard work growing a kid. How long until you get to know the gender?"

"In about four weeks," Adrien said, eating an entire croissant in one go. "I've had the name Katherine suggested to me for a girl, but I can't think of any boy names. And I'm still thinking about being surprised for the gender too. I know Father will insist on knowing though."

"You could always name a boy Emile. It's like a male version of Emilie, and it wouldn't trigger your father." Adrien grinned,

"I like that. Emile Agreste." He poked his belly, "Is that your name? Are you a boy?"

"Adrien, the baby may have vocal cords, but I doubt it will respond to you," Felix yelled from where he was at the top of the staircase. 

Marinette giggled, "Well, the baby is still Breadstick to me until proven otherwise." Adrien chuckled,

"Thanks, Marinette, for being here, supporting me through this." Marinette softened,

"Adrien, you're my friend. You need all the love and support you can get. And even if we weren't friends, I am the person who helps people, it's kind of my thing. If you need anything at all, I will help you."

Adrien giggled, "If I hadn't already promised Chloe she could be godmother, I'd give the job to you. But since I know Chloe has no idea how to handle kids, I may need a backup."

Suddenly Marinette's expression went dark, "Godparents? Why are you thinking about that?"

"Since my father has no plans like that if something happens to him, I need to make sure my baby has somewhere to go if something happens to me. There isn't exactly a second parent, and I don't trust my father to take care of my baby without raising the poor thing as he raised me. I mean, there's always the possibility..." Marinette put a finger to his lips,

"Don't even talk like that. You are going to be fine, I will make sure of it." 

Deep down, Adrien was terrified. The nightmares about something going wrong were getting worse. What if he screwed up and somehow killed the baby while trying to bring it into the world? What if Hawk Moth found out his baby was Twice Blessed? He knew he would give his life for his child, but he did want to live and be a part of Kit's life.

"I'm not worried about that." Adrien lied, "I just need to prepare for the future as any good parent would." Marinette was not convinced, but she let it slide.

But that night, Adrien pulled out his email for Ladybug and decided to confide in her. He wanted to tell Marinette, but he had been caught off guard by how fast she realized his fears. Ladybug would understand, and it was more comfortable if he was prepared for the conversation. Felix was reading in the guest room.

Chat Noir: Um...Hey, M'Lady, can we talk tonight?

Ladybug: Of course, Chaton. Email or in person?

Chat Noir: In-person if it's okay. Warning...I need someone to talk to about fears.

Ladybug: Thanks for the heads up. Warehouse in ten?

Chat Noir: Sounds excellent. Thanks, Bugaboo.

Adrien transformed, and for the first time noticed his transformation did not hide the baby bump. He was a lot bigger than he thought. Or maybe it was just the model in him talking.

He ran to the abandoned warehouse that normally used as the meeting place at the start of patrol and found Ladybug waiting for him on the roof with chocolates, ice cream, pillows, and blankets.

"Woah." He breathed. Ladybug gestured for him to sit, which he did. "Thanks for meeting me. I know it's probably a school night for you, but I just need someone to talk to, and I don't think my brother will understand." She cupped his cheek,

"I'll always be here for you. What did you need to talk about?"

"I'm scared." He admitted, gesturing to himself, "I talked to the guardian today about my baby. Apparently Kit is 'Twice Blessed' meaning the pregnancy is exceptionally delicate, and my poor baby will have powers! And apparently Kit will be okay with killing me to ensure their own survival if I ever take the ring off." Ladybug gasped and hugged him close, and he ate some chocolate and cried on her shoulder. She did little figure-eights on his back to help calm him down.

"Oh, mon chaton, I'm so sorry."

"That's not it," he said through sobs, "I've been having nightmares, regularly, of something going wrong with the birth, or Hawk Moth getting Kit. Pain, so much pain, and I'm terrified."

"Are you having second thoughts about this?"

"No. Never." He continued to weep, "Doesn't mean I'm not frightened and in desperate need of a map. Anybody know how the hell to do this? I just want to hold my child in my arms without fear or someone coming after the poor thing or me dying in the process of birthing the little one, is that too much to ask?"

"No, Chat, it's not too much to ask." She wrapped the blanket around him, "You're slowly but surely getting to a healthy weight for how far along you are, so things should go smoothly. I am relieved you're getting a little fat on your bones because I was worried you had some sort of eating disorder."

"I'm fucking huge!" Chat wailed, "And I'm just going to get bigger. I'm already a damn whale!"

"Chat, other than your stomach, you are the normal weight a teenager should be. And it's good your stomach is getting big since that means the baby is growing." She narrowed her eyes, "I'm going to have a strongly worded conversation with whoever has insisted you be a damn twig all the time. And after the baby is born, I am going to make sure you maintain a healthy weight."

"I doubt my father would approve. He likes it when I'm skinny."

"Well, he can kiss my ass." Chat was shocked by the language coming out of Ladybug, but he could tell she was angry, "Your life is much more important. And I hate people who like only the extremely thin people. To me, the healthier you are, the better."

He chuckled, with tears still spilling down his face, "Never knew you cared."

"You're still my best friend, kitten. Even if I'm not entirely ready for a relationship."

"What about the boy you love?"

"I think he has more important things to deal with in his life than having a girlfriend. And it's not like I ever confessed to him or anything." She wrapped an arm around him, "You're kind of like the brother I never had. I don't want to string you along, because I've realized I am not mature enough in my civilian life to have a boyfriend. But I am still going to be by your side every step of the way. And I'm a babysitter as a civilian, so if you ever need a day to yourself, I can handle it."

"I'd actually really like that. You would be able to handle any powers, and there is nobody I trust more than you. I respect the idea you aren't ready. Hell, with the baby on the way I doubt I would even have time." he then grinned, feeling much better just by talking to her, "I require names. I've been given the name Katherine for a girl, Kit for short, and Emile for a boy. Anything else?" He then noticed Ladybug froze, her bluebell eyes wide, "M'Lady?"

Ladybug shook herself, "Sorry, I thought I saw something. It's nothing. Katherine and Emile? Cute names. I've always liked baby names such as Emma, Louis, and Hugo."

"Nice. I'll add those to the list." He nudged her with his elbow, playfully, "Since you're the world to me, you'll probably win." He then noticed her demeanor change, "I'm keeping you out too late, aren't I? We can be done if you need to go."

"Sorry Chat," she said, "I just remembered I have a test tomorrow. How about I meet you back here maybe an hour earlier tomorrow?" He nodded, helping her carry the blankets, but she smiled,

"You keep them. I can make more. Maybe let the baby use them."

"Really?" She nodded, and he hugged her, "Thanks, LB. See you tomorrow!" He ran off with the food and the blankets.

…

Ladybug took the pillows back to her room and detransformed, pale as a sheet. Tikki emerged,

"Marinette, is Chat Noir okay?" Marinette nodded absently,

"Yeah. He's worried about the birth, and his asshole father is making him think he's overweight when he isn't. But I gave him the blankets, chocolate, and more ice cream. He'll be good for tonight." She turned, "But he told me something...and I need to know if the hunch I have is right. You need to be honest with me, Tikki."

"Sure Marinette, what is it?"

"Firstly, he told me the baby is Twice Blessed, whatever that means. Then he talked about baby names. Emile came up. The same name I suggested to Adrien earlier today. And Katherine was the girl name suggestion. And then I looked at Chat, and I saw Adrien. Am I right? Are the two boys I'm worried about one and the same?"

Tikki halted, before sighing, "Yes, Marinette. Adrien is Chat Noir. But Marinette, if Adrien's baby truly is Twice Blessed, that puts the baby in just as much danger as your earrings and the ring if Hawk Moth realizes the child has powers. I was around for the last Twice Blessed baby, and the signs of powers showed from within the womb at roughly sixteen weeks, so two weeks from now Adrien will show signs of having powers."

Marinette thought about this. She also noted the 'twin brother' was probably Felix, his cousin. And his abusive asshole father was Gabriel Agreste, her (former once she realized how he treated his son) idol. She supposed it made sense why Gabriel wanted Adrien to be very thin, but since he wore a relatively loose shirt, she hadn't realized just how malnourished he was. And she hated the stereotype of seeing the ribcage being attractive. When she became a fashion designer, she was going to use ordinary people as models, with realistic body types that aren't achieved through photoshop or diets or starving yourself.

Her mind traveled back to the baby. Adrien's baby. On the bright side, she didn't need to worry about two babies and two of her best friends being with child. But this baby had powers, and that was what scared her. Tikki and Adrien were right in assuming Hawk Moth would try to use the infant as a replacement for one or both of the Miraculouses. And if the powers started to show during the pregnancy, there was no hiding it.

"What do I do, Tikki? Do I tell him who I am? Or does he need me as two different supportive people? Because what if the baby shows powers while at school. How am I, as Marinette, going to explain to Adrien that I know why the kid has powers?"

"That's for you to decide, Marinette." Tikki said, "But make sure to keep an eye on him, especially as the third trimester comes around." She kissed her chosen's forehead, "It's almost one in the morning, get some sleep. You'll be able to think of a solution while well-rested."

Marinette did sleep that night, but it was not a restful one.


	6. Chapter 6

Two weeks passed, and Marinette still hadn't decided what to do about her secret identity issue. So, she was talking to Master Fu, asking his opinion.

"So you know who he is, he doesn't know you." Fu stroked his beard, "Well, it's a double-edged sword. He needs all the love and support he can get, so thinking you are two people might help. But then there's the fact that it's about that time where powers will appear, and it will be hard to explain why Marinette Dupain-Cheng would know something only Ladybug has been told." He then pulled out the grimoire, "You should tell him. Because there is something else, I hadn't known until a few days ago about Twice Blessed babies. If the baby is in danger, as in a potential miscarriage, the fetus will split into two, so if one dies, the other will survive. However, Adrien did not miscarry that one time. So it is entirely possible he..."

"Is carrying multiples?!" Marinette had her hands over her mouth. One baby was stressful enough, but two!? "Oh no."

"I suggest you get to school now, Marinette." He said, "We don't know for certain Adrien is carrying multiples, so try not to worry about that. And the multiplying thing is only until week twenty when miscarriage becomes uncommon. Four more weeks of potential baby multiplying."

Marinette nodded, "Okay, I'll tell Adrien the truth next time we meet up as Ladybug and Chat. The plan is he's going to tell me the results of the ultrasound in two weeks." She left with Tikki, running her hands through her hair to the point of her pigtails having fallen out. Well, it didn't hurt to change it up from time to time.

Tikki sat in her purse, "Just the idea of Adrien carrying multiples worries me. His body is under enough stress with one."

Marinette sighed, "Let's just hope the next four weeks go smoothly."

...

The next four weeks would not go smoothly if Lila had anything to say about it. It took two weeks to set up an entire website with fake pregnancy information, and then get all of her classmates to find the site. She'd seen Rose making a sort of smoothie with all of the dangerous herbs, not that the young blonde knew they were unsafe. Even one of those is risky for the baby, but all of them would damn near guarantee a miscarriage.

She almost laughed when Rose gave it to Adrien and saw him drink some. It wouldn't be long now. And she now had the Peacock Miraculous she could use to destroy Ladybug. She hadn't met the 'kwami' thing yet since she didn't know how to activate it. Once she knew for a fact Adrien had lost the baby, she would go ask.

...

Adrien didn't feel right. For the first few hours, he felt fine. But then he started feeling severe stomach pain. It wasn't like a bug or anything. He'd only felt this pain in his nightmares, and that was the labor dreams. But no, it was far too early to be in labor.

He clutched his stomach and started whimpering. Miss Bustier looked to him worriedly,

"Adrien, are you okay?" Adrien tried to say that no, he didn't feel okay and all and was scared he was going into labor when he suddenly knew no more.

...

Felix noticed Adrien's pain immediately. Because there was nothing that could possibly be causing him too much distress, he assumed maybe the baby had started kicking. 

Then he remembered the smoothie Rose had given Adrien. He hadn't thought much of it until now. When Adrien fell limp at his desk, Felix whirled around,

"What was in that smoothie?!" Rose's eyes widened, 

"Saw Palmetto, Goldenseal Dong Quai, Ephedra, Yohimbe, Passion Flower, Black Cohosh, Blue Cohosh, Roman Chamomile, and Pennyroyal. And some other fruits."

"YOU IDIOT!" Felix roared, "That is literally  _ all _ of the dangerous herbs for pregnancy!"

Then suddenly, Adrien shot upright. Only something was wrong. Very wrong.

Adrien's usually spring-green eyes were molten gold.

When he spoke, his voice was doubled over with that of a young child, "Someone has tried to kill us." He said, turning in the direction of Rose, "Tell me, was it you?" Everyone was terrified at the sudden change, and Marinette had a hand over her mouth in horror.

For it wasn't Adrien talking, but his child(ren).

Rose was crying, "I just read on a website that those herbs helped, not endangered! I got the site from Lila!" Everyone looked to Lila, who played the role of innocence,

"My uncle is a doctor, and he said it would help Adrien. Though he does share my thoughts that he shouldn't have a child at all, so maybe..."

"We will be fine," Kit assured with an icy tone unbefitting a child, "Don't think we will be so forgiving next time." Then Adrien's green eyes returned, and he collapsed into a heap on the ground.

"ADRIEN?!"

OoOoO

"What happened?" Gabriel demanded of Lila that evening, "Why is my son unconscious upstairs!?" Lila crossed her arms,

"Maybe you should have warned me that the baby has magic. I loaded him up on every herb known to cause miscarriage, and somehow that child not only survived but also spoke through him." Gabriel whirled around from the window,

"What?!" Lila frowned,

"You didn't know?" He shook his head, and Nathalie also shrugged.

"Well, this makes things harder." Nathalie mused, "If the kid can fight back."

"You know," Lila put her hands on her hips, "Why not just wait until Adrien gives birth, use the baby in place of the Miraculous, that way we can get rid of Ladybug without needed to get her earrings first."

"The whole point is to win before he has the baby." Gabriel groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose, "But if the child can fight back even in the womb, this just got much more difficult. Tomorrow, try transforming and attacking the baby directly. For now, leave, so Felix doesn't catch you." Lila hopped out the window and strutted off, and Gabriel sat down, "Nooroo!" 

Nooroo emerged, "Yes, master?"

"Why didn't you tell me Adrien's child has powers?!" Nooroo hesitated,

"Because I didn't think it would. The only child who could have powers is at least Twice Blessed. I suppose Ladybug's power of creation could be the second one."

"Could the baby be a replacement for the Miraculous?" When Nooroo was silent, Gabriel growled, "Answer me!" 

"Yes!" Nooroo revealed against his will.

Nathalie brightened, "Well, I guess that's a backup plan. But the goal is 24 weeks. Otherwise, we can only resurrect Emilie and then get murdered about what we did to her son." Gabriel nodded,

"Fine. But that is the last possible resort. I will take just about anything in place of waiting and putting Adrien through that pain. That and Adrien being a teen dad will ruin my reputation since Adrien being with child isn't public knowledge outside of Paris. If I have to deal with Nadja Chamack trying to get an interview with him one more time..." He clenched his fists. God, he hated that reporter. She tried to break into the mansion last week so she could get photos of Adrien's baby bump through the window and then stalked him to school. Then Felix threatened to shove her microphone down her throat, and he smashed the memory file of her camera. That shut her up for now.

The only reason he was letting Adrien be at school was that it made being a supervillain so much easier if he could plot aloud in true supervillain fashion. That and he had a small hope that the stress of akumas could cause a miscarriage. 

He sighed, "Go check on Adrien. I need to try translating the book again."

"I have an idea on how to find the guardian." Nathalie chimed in, "Next difficult Akuma when Ladybug needs help, have Lila follow her in secret. I was going to suggest trying to figure out Ladybug's identity, but since we don't actually want to kill her and Lila does, maybe that's not the best idea."

"At this point, I will take any option. Because in two weeks we will know the gender, and I need to go through the trouble of pretending I'm okay with this and helping with a nursery."

With that, Nathalie went to check on Adrien, leaving Gabriel to brood. And if a mannequin got thrown in the designer's frustration, nobody had to know.

OoOoO

Three days later, Adrien was back at school. He still didn't feel right. 

In the last three days, his stomach had practically doubled in size, and he looked full-term when he wasn't even halfway through yet! And oh lord, his stomach was  _ heavy _ . Walking was a struggle.

Chloe came over to him, "Adrien, are you feeling better?" She looked at his stomach with wide eyes, "Either your baby is, or something is very wrong." Adrien looked down. Marinette had made him some custom maternity clothes so he could finally wear jeans and short sleeves. 

"I think everything is fine. Baby's been wriggling like normal, and I think it kicked me last night."

Felix was reading, "But we aren't sure since you are only on week sixteen and a half."

"Sixteen and a half?" Chloe frowned, "You look like you're ready to pop now." Adrien turned bright red, still self-conscious about his weight gain. There was no hiding it now. He really did feel like he would break if the kid got any bigger.

Marinette came over, "Hey Adrien, I...I was wondering if you wanted to come over to my place after school. I've been making clothes for the baby, and I want to see what you think. I've also been working on more maternity clothes for you."

"Thanks, Mari." 

The classes went by smoothly that day, until lunch. 

"Adrien Agreste!" They all turned and saw a woman who looked like Mayura, except smaller and more evil-looking. She smirked, "I am Le Paon, and I'm just here for your baby." Nino got in front of Adrien,

"Well, too bad, you can't!" She moved past him like he was nothing more than a piece of furniture. 

"Come on Adrien," she hissed before she pulled out a dagger in the shape of a feather and plunged it into his stomach.

Or at least she tried to. The magical feather shattered as a lilac forcefield appeared around Adrien's stomach. 

And the entire courtyard burst into flames. The ground was cracking around Le Paon, and Marinette saw Adrien's eyes were gold, meaning Adrien child(ren) were the ones in control.

The fight was over in seconds, and the flames went out when Le Paon was gone. Adrien fell to his knees, shaking. Felix helped him up,

"Hey, let's get you to class. There are people there." Adrien nodded a little, relaxing in his cousin's arms.

Once alone, Marinette felt sick. There was no way Adrien wasn't carrying multiples. And this was the second time in three days that had the babies fighting through their father. Someone was trying to kill the babies, and Marinette knew she needed to get to the bottom of it.

But who was she kidding? There was only one person, so soulless and cruel.

She stormed into the locker room and found Lila curled in a ball, coughing on the floor. Usually, Marinette would be worried. If Lila was sick, maybe she wasn't Le Paon, but still, she wanted to kill Adrien's children.

"Get up, snake." Marinette seethed, kicking Lila a little bit, "Why have you been trying to kill Adrien's baby?" Lila continued to cough but glared daggers at the young designer.

"I...have no plans...to be...a mother..." That sent Marinette into a rage. Adrien. Chat. Lila was trying to hurt the boy who meant the entire world to her. She kicked Lila again, knowing they were alone, and it wasn't like the people who she really cared about would believe this liar. This was what happened to the boy who cried wolf.

"Marinette, stop!" Tikki whispered in her ear, and Marinette realized she wasn't acting very heroic. She let her rage that someone dare hurt her best friend and his unborn baby for selfish reasons get the best of her.

Lila got up after a few minutes, "You brat!"

"Look who's talking, Lie-la! You're trying to kill Adrien's child! He trusts me more than you, so believe me when I say you have no chance with him since I am telling him the truth!" Lila then pinned Marinette against the wall, 

"Not if I have anything to say about it." She shoved Marinette into the locker and strutted off.

This lasted thirty seconds since she transformed, and Ladybug broke the locker open and started digging through Lila's backpack. Nothing. No peacock Miraculous.

Realizing she had been gone too long, left Adrien in the same room as Lila for too long, she detransformed and ran back to class.

OoOoO

A week and a half passed. Marinette explained the situation to Adrien and Felix, the latter of which proceeding to threaten Lila within an inch of her life and work on getting a restraining order filed.

Because of her support, Adrien invited her to the ultrasound when he would finally see what he was having. The machine wouldn't work before, unable to spot the child since it didn't know where to look on a male.

So here they were, Adrien shirtless with gel on his belly as Dr. Amaru was using the wand to look around. It was about a minute before he was extremely pale.

"What's wrong?" Adrien asked worriedly. Felix was looking at the screen and was staring in horror. Gabriel and Marinette were staring blankly at the screen, having no idea what they were looking at.

Dr. Amaru bit his lip, "Um...Adrien...how many times did that Akuma hit you?"

"Once, why?"

"Because...you're carrying triplets." 

There was stunned silence, before Gabriel spoke, "You're messing with us, right?"

"Unfortunately no." He gestured to the ultrasound, pointing to three things, "There's one, two, three. I have the genders if you want to know."

It was then that they noticed Adrien had fainted. Felix was fanning him using his book.

Dr. Amaru ran to get some water, helping Adrien come to. There was another moment of silence as Adrien looked at his stomach. Eighteen weeks pregnant with triplets. No wonder his belly was getting big.

The doctor went on to explain that if what Felix had said about Adrien being invincible as long as he was expecting was right, that meant they couldn't do a c-section and Adrien would have to give birth naturally. To triplets. As a male. 

That was when Gabriel snapped, forcing a shirt on Adrien and dragging the three teenagers to the mansion when he left them in Adrien's room, and they all heard him scream "NATHALIE! ALCOHOL, NOW!" 

Again, silence. Until Adrien began to cry on his bed. Felix wasn't good with emotions, so he was clueless. This meant it was Marinette's job. These last two weeks had been hell, and the idea of requiring a natural birth for triplets made Marinette internally cringe. Especially since he had had no idea of the other two infants until now. When Marinette thought about it, the two times the multiplying happened was probably when he first removed the Cat Miraculous, and when Lila tricked Rose into poisoning him. But both times the baby pulled through, leaving three now. 

"Mon chaton, I'm here. I'm right here, it's okay. We're going to get through this together." Adrien looked up at her, his eyes were red and puffy. It was hard to hold him properly since they had a watermelon between them, but she managed. 

"W-What did you call me?" This was it. This was the moment. She placed her fingers under his chin, 

"It's me, kitty. It's always been me." She was afraid of what he would think. Plain Marinette Dupain-Cheng being the fabulous Ladybug.

But his lip quivered, regardless of there being a weak smile on his face. There was a look in his eyes as though someone turned a light on. "I should have known it was you," he breathed, hugging Marinette tight. 

She was relieved he wasn't freaked out, but he might just see triplets as the bigger shock. She certainly didn't expect him to mutter, "You're the girl I love. I'm glad it's you, Mari. Please don't leave me. I'm scared." His words were the final straw, and she too cried, happy to finally get the secret she had been keeping for a month off her chest.

Felix had to ruin the moment, "Well, I'm glad to see you two finally realized it. And Adrien, you should have seen this coming, since cats usually have a litter." 

Adrien gave his cousin a dark look, "Now is not the time, Fe. Go get me ice cream so I can eat my sorrows away."

"I don't think that's a good coping mechanism."

"I'M PREGNANT WITH TRIPLETS, FUCKING GO!" Marinette had never seen Felix run that fast. She helped Adrien into a long nightshirt she had made him, which was practically a nightgown, but it worked and was comfortable for him.

Plagg emerged and started licking Adrien.

"Plagg, what are you doing?"

"Shut up and let me groom you, kid. Gods, you are filthy. And I can tell you are in no mood to bathe."

"No, I'm really not." He looked to Marinette, "How long have you known I'm...well..."

"Since we were talking about a month ago when you were expressing your fears. You mentioned the name Emile, the same name I suggested as a civilian, and that's when it clicked. I haven't told you since I assumed you would need me to be two different people. I know, it's unfair to you, and I'm really sorry."

He looked up at her, kissing her knuckles from where he lay on his side.

"You are the only good thing right now. Maybe I'll freak out later, but right now I'm feeling like an idiot for not seeing it. And I can't even blame pregnancy brain!" He put a hand on his stomach. "Triplets. I had managed to convince myself I was ready to handle one. But three?! I was worried enough about birth with one!"

"I know, Chaton." She started massaging his back, and the little noises he made told her he liked that, "My parents said I can stay any time you need me."

"I don't want to go back." Adrien said, "To school. Lila is there. Anyone I trust I can invite over. But Mari, please stay with me unless there's an Akuma." Plagg was still trying to lick him clean. "Plagg has taken up the role of a protective father, and Felix ignores me unless there's a danger. I just need a friend I can talk to about these things. I can get fabric or something if you want."

"Adrien, you don't need to bribe me to stay with you." She kissed his forehead, "Of course I will." She noticed he didn't ask about the boy she loved. He really did respect her wishes that she wasn't ready for a relationship yet. He might ask later, though.

Felix found them both asleep, with Marinette's arms around Adrien in a manner to protect him from the world. He smiled and pulled up the sheets to cover them. Then he fell asleep on the couch, unaware two drunk supervillains were currently planning an elaborate scheme to find the guardian.


	7. Chapter 7

Gabriel's best friend was this bottle of vodka. He knew this now. It made him forget that his wife was in a coma, or that he was going to be a grandfather to triplets. And he also knew he wouldn't remember making out with Nathalie.

Currently, they were in the lair, making doodles that to their intoxicated minds looked like a brilliant scheme. 

When they woke up in the morning with horrible hangovers and no memory of last night, neither had any idea what the doodles were supposed to mean.

"Nathalie, any ideas?" Gabriel looked at the doodles, trying to figure out the mystery. Nathalie shrugged,

"Not really. Maybe...nope. That wouldn't be it. Um... yeah. I have nothing. Nooroo?" Nooroo emerged,

"You told me to stay in the office, so I have no idea." Curses.

"Well...the last thing I remember was talking about using a hunting Akuma to put a tracker on Ladybug or something." Nathalie mused, "And something about Chat Noir potentially also being with child since he got hit, that baby would be twice blessed too, and we can use that one instead of Adrien's three."

"Oh yes, that sounds about right. Maybe that's why we have a printed out picture of a pregnant cat. Though Chat Noir's probably having multiples too, since cats have a litter."

"I guess there's that." Gabriel ran his hands through his messy hair, "Nooroo, go get the hangover cure." Nooroo flew off, and Gabriel sat down on the floor, "Triplets. We're running out of time. The average triplet pregnancy is thirty-two weeks, very rarely lasting past thirty-four. Adrien is on week eighteen. And naturally..." he remembered how Emilie had very nearly gone into cardiac arrest when Adrien was born. Gabriel had never wanted to see his loved ones so close to death, so he needed to hurry. He loved his son, dearly, and the idea of losing him horrifically just hurt too much. It was reaching the point he would sacrifice his own life to ensure Adrien pulled through. Gabriel hadn't been worried until he learned about the invincibility that upped the risks severely. Would the wish to reverse time even bring back both if Adrien died in childbirth? He'd have to specify wishing to change the moment Emilie was lost, but then Adrien could end up being the one lost and...

He didn't realize he was having a panic attack until Nathalie gripped his shoulders firmly, "Sir, Adrien will be fine. We will reverse this. Everything will be okay." It didn't help. Maybe he still had a little vodka in his system, but all those stoic walls were crashing down no matter how much he wanted to make them stay up.

_ Adrien's just a model. _

_ Adrien's my child! _

_ You don't love him. _

_ I do! _

_ Do you? Do you really?  _

He didn't realize Nooroo was doing this, using a butterfly to manipulate Gabriel's emotions until he came to his senses. With an Akuma, it amplified the rage until it took over. Here, it was that love for Adrien and the fear for his son's life. It wouldn't change him being Hawk Moth, but maybe he could try being there for his child.

_ I love Adrien, he's all I have left! _

_ Yet you only care about Emilie and have endangered his life dozens if not hundreds of times. Only when death is inevitable, do you finally realize. _

Gabriel tipped over on his side, clutching his head, "Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!"

_ Even if you do love him, does he know that? You've basically abandoned him. And bringing Emilie back from the dead could kill him. Either way, you choose now: Emilie, who is already dead, or Adrien. _

"SHE'S NOT DEAD!" He shrieked, and Nathalie was cradling him in her arms, her phone out, ready to call the emergency number if he flipped out too severely.

It was then that Nooroo realized he might be pushing his master too far. But no, this was for the best. It was time to let Emilie go, and maybe use Hawk Moth to get the Miraculous to ensure Adrien survived.

He gave the hangover cure to Nathalie, who gently poured it down Gabriel's throat.

Then she heard the sound of the elevator, and briskly threw the doodles to a dark corner, as Felix came up.

"Wow. This is a cute setup." Felix muttered, crossing his arms, "Care to explain?"

"How did you get up here?"

"I heard screaming and noticed some faded points on the portrait. Naturally, I investigated and found something exciting in the basement." The malicious glimmer in his eyes made Nathalie pale. He was going to tell Adrien and ruin everything! Felix was going to ruin their entire plan with his words! It was worse that she knew Felix hated Gabriel for reasons unknown, meaning he had motive too.

"What do you want, Felix?" Gabriel rasped out as Nooroo finally let go. Felix crossed his arms,

"I want answers. Because I've already got a hunch on who Le Paon is, and if she truly is Lila Rossi, don't think I haven't noticed her coming to the mansion. And this little structure and your dead wife in the box downstairs gives me plenty of reason to think you are Hawk Moth."

Gabriel sat up, "Emilie isn't dead."  _ Isn't she though? She's not going to be waking up. _ "She's...just not..."  _ alive? _

Felix crossed his arms, "You have ten seconds to spill, or I will show Adrien the pictures I've taken."

"Okay, okay!" Gabriel sighed, "Lila has been working with me, yes. She's promised to protect Adrien. Emilie is in the 'box' as you put it, to preserve her life until she's well enough. I have no idea about the hunch of her being Le Paon." Felix seemed satisfied, but Gabriel could tell he was not convinced.

"Alright. I'll just have to...take care...of Ms. Rossi."

"Kill her?!"

"No. Never. Though I've read enough books to know how to do it. I'm just going to give her mother's boss a heads up on the brat's behavior. And you won't be to blame since I'm the one who spilled as I have already threatened to do. And I will have you know Adrien fought me this morning when I tried to get him to go to school, screaming that Lila promised he would die if he didn't date her. And since she's already tried to poison him, and if she is Le Paon tried to stab him in the gut, I would say she isn't 'protecting him' as you think." The realization that Lila had threatened Adrien made Gabriel regret everything. That girl was volatile, and it was a grave mistake to be working with her. He had known she didn't actually care about Adrien, but he didn't think she wanted him.

Nathalie got up, "Felix, how about I get you to the car with Adrien?" Felix shook her off,

"I can get down on my own, thank you very much. And maybe you should button up your shirt." He left, and Nathalie blushed, looking down at her unbuttoned vest.

When he was gone, Gabriel stood up on weak knees.

"I'm okay now." He sighed, "Um...Adrien does know I love him, right?" Nathalie paused,

"He does. Of course, maybe if you spent more time with him..."

"He doesn't know." He put his jacket on, "I need to show him. I have to save him!"

"Sir?" She wouldn't deny the spark of hope she felt, "What is the plan?"

"Adrien. He needs to live, no matter what. The hope is Emilie, too, but Adrien is the priority. The plan is the same, get the Miraculous, but the closer we get to the birth, the more we need to make sure Adrien pulls through. If he ever finds out I used a wish to destroy his babies, he will never forgive me. And there's the chance Felix will ruin our plans. He needs to be dealt with."

"Uh...okay?" Nathalie left, and once alone, she punched the air. Maybe he was finally moving on from Emilie.

OoOoO

Because of Lila, Adrien did not feel safe at school with his babies. But he also didn't want his father to know he didn't feel comfortable, so Marinette got the idea of having him stay with her parents during the school day.

Walking in the front door, Adrien felt himself wearing baggy clothes, still nervous. After Weredad, how would Mr. Dupain handle him being Chat Noir? Usually, he'd be okay with taking another beating, but not now. Not when it wasn't just himself that he had to protect.

But when he was let in, he was surprised to be welcomed in with open arms. Sabine sat him down,

"It's great to see you again, Adrien." She said, "Marinette explained everything to us. Lila is not welcome here, so you and your babies are safe." Felix looked up from his book, which meant this was important,

"Take care of him. And if I hear that husband of yours hurt him, so help me god." Sabine sighed,

"Tom is really sorry about that. He's out getting more flour and such and will be here in a couple hours." Marinette kissed Adrien's forehead,

"Have fun. We have video games. I'm going to be telling our classmates the truth, okay? About Lila and that you aren't going to be returning until either she's gone or you have the babies."

"Thanks, Bugaboo. I'll be here ready to FaceTime if you need help." With that, Marinette and Felix left, and Plagg emerged. Sabine smiled,

"Are you hungry?" Adrien nodded, 

"I have been eternally hungry for nineteen weeks. Though nine of those weeks I couldn't keep it down." Sabine went to the kitchen,

"What are you in the mood for? Any cravings?"

"Not really. Can I please have something simple? I'm trying not to let the cravings control me all the time. I still need to lose all the baby weight and get my skinny form back, or I'm pretty sure my father will disown me." He said that last part under his breath, but Sabine heard it and whirled around,

"You are too skinny, boy! Baby weight is the last of your concerns because you are still too small other than your belly. If your father would disown you for accommodating to your situation, he has no right to be a father. Here," she put a plate in front of him, "eat some eggs. It's not much, but I'll make something more if you want." She helped him to the couch since he had reached the stage where the waddling had started. He was only nineteen weeks and looked very overdue with a singleton child.

"Thank you again for letting me stay," he chirped when Sabine wrapped him in blankets and went for some gaming controllers,

"Of course. Marinette adores you, and you're a good kid. That Lila girl is horrible and gave Marinette basically the same threat in the bathroom on her first day."

"Wait, what?" He paled, "I didn't know that." And he had told her to leave Lila be, that she would crumble on her own. If he had known that lying snake had threatened Marinette, he would have exposed her ass on his own.

"Lila has been bullying Marinette for a while, so I guess that selfish girl hurting you and the triplets was the final straw." Now Adrien wanted to march to that school and give Lila a piece of his hormonal mind. But Sabine caught onto this,

"As you've said before, with your advice to her, being rash and violent about it won't solve the problem. But being calm and collected while handling it will. That is what Felix and Marinette are doing today."

Plagg joined in, "And if Le Paon suddenly comes in, I can simply cataclysm her in the face."

"Thanks, Plagg." Suddenly Adrien yelped as he felt something jab him. He looked down at his stomach and noticed the jabbing was coming from there.

One of his babies just kicked.

Sabine looked at his expression and caught on, "Have they started kicking?"

"I-I think so." She placed a hand where he pointed, and he felt it again. "Be ready for them never to stop." He frowned as he sensed either two or all three babies wriggling. It was a fantastic feeling, other than the pain in his back. He looked to the game controller, before looking back to Sabine, 

"What did you do when you were pregnant with Marinette?"

"Oh, Marinette was a very active baby, in and out of the womb. There were a couple scares with her umbilical cord since she was flipping around all the time. Probably training for her future role as Ladybug. But I had a water birth, and that was rather nice. In the hospital, doctors flip you on your back and make you push, so Tom and I chose to do it our own way. Waterbirth helps muscles relax, and lowers high blood pressure, among other things."

"That sounds lovely. I know due to invincibility I'm going to need to go by it naturally, so I'm trying to see what is the best option. The triplets are due in fourteen weeks."

"Have you thought of names?"

"Yes and no. Since my father forced us to leave before I got the genders, I don't know where to start. I've gotten suggestions of names though."

"Are you planning on a baby shower?"

"Not really, because my class still worships Lila, and that means not inviting her would be rude, and she would be there if they threw one for me." Sabine softened, sitting down with him.

They talked for hours about various needs for the babies, types of toys, names, everything really. She managed to get him eating an entire plate of donuts.

Tom came in around lunchtime, "I brought pizza, if that sounds good." Adrien turned,

"Hello!" Suddenly, Tom grew nervous. Adrien felt nervous too, but not overly so.

Sabine sighed, "Tom, it's fine. He's not hurt." 

_ Oh.  _

Weredad had been the last Akuma he had fought as Chat Noir. Tom had beaten on him, and after that, he was too sick to function, having gotten pulled out of school the day before that after a couple fainting spells. He had almost canceled the date but didn't want to stick Marinette up. Maybe Tom blamed himself? Or perhaps he was still upset about Adrien rejecting Marinette, and he did feel like an idiot for doing that, both before and especially after finding out she was Ladybug.

"I'm sorry, sir." Adrien shrunk down a little bit. Tom whirled around,

"I thought you were dead." Adrien froze as he was very nearly crushed into a hug, "I hurt you and then you suddenly vanish. Marinette and I thought you had been suffering from internal bleeding or something. And now..." he gestured to the temporary residence of Adrien's children, "I could have killed the babies!" So he was guilty.

"I'm okay, though. I was just feeling like roadkill constantly. If I had known you were so worried, I would have at least tried to stop by." Tom's expression was that on pity.

Sabine, god bless her, sparked up a conversation, "So Adrien, I hear you are quite good with video games." Adrien nodded,

"I've had quite a lot of time over the years." Tom brightened,

"I challenge you, Adrien Agreste!" Then, a fourth controller started floating and rested in front of Adrien's stomach, even though he had one in his hand.

"Oh...uh...my babies have magical powers and react in the womb. I guess maybe they want to help? I don't really know. The last two times, they just took control of my body and scared everyone." He looked down, and then to the two adults, then poked his belly, "Well game on, you three."

OoOoO

Marinette went to school, and Felix took his large envelope of evidence directly to the embassy.

When she got there, the class was gathered around Lila.

"Is it true you kicked Lila last week?!" Alix asked. Marinette did feel shame for letting her temper take control, but she had expected this and pulled out her phone, which had an audio recording of when she asked why Lila wanted to kill Adrien's babies. Felix had a copy too.

"Yes, I did. Yes, I lost my temper. But here's why." She played the recording, and Rose threw her hands over her mouth.

"There's no way that's Lila talking." Max said, "She is ill in that recording, and she wasn't ill when you kicked her." Again, expected, and a reason she went to Master Fu. So, she pulled up a recording of herself as Ladybug repeating what the guardian had said,

"The peacock Miraculous is damaged, and gives the wielder temporary illness until eventual coma." Even Lila paled there, and there was a hint of fury in her eyes.

Miss Bustier got out of her desk, "Lila, principal's office, now. Marinette, where are Adrien and Felix?"

Marinette smirked, "Lie-la has made Adrien feel so unsafe with his  _ babies _ that he refuses to come to school. During school hours, I have hidden him somewhere nobody will find him. Felix is at the embassy explaining to Lila's mother about her behavior, and he's also calling the cops on a suspect for Le Paon." Everyone moved away from Lila a little but still seemed doubtful. Alya was the most on Lila's side, and that hurt. But Nino, who knew Lila's true colors, backed away from the others and stopped pretending.

"Nino, get back here!" Alya snapped, "Marinette's just jealous!" Nino turned to her but didn't move from Marinette's side.

"Sorry Alya, but I'm done pretending I trust the liar. I put up with it for you, but if Lila has made Adrien feel so unsafe that he would willingly let go of some of his freedom, that means it's more serious than I thought."

Lila scoffed, "You would seriously believe a  _ bully _ over me and your own girlfriend, Nino!" Marinette clenched her fists,

"I am not perfect. But it isn't any form of jealousy that will make me smack you again. Yes, I love Adrien, but more than that. He is my best friend, he has picked me up and helped me believe in myself when nobody, not even the rest of my classmates who I have known for years would! So I will give my own life to make sure he is safe. I am not letting some lying snob take away his babies just because you don't want to be a mother after you lie, steal, threaten, and blackmail your way into the Agreste mansion."

"Marinette's right." They were all surprised to see Kagami appear, "I've seen what Lila does, and have almost been akumatized because of it." She pulled out her phone and showed a picture of Lila kissing Adrien, they all remembered it. "I have feelings for Adrien, but I, more importantly, want him to be with someone who loves him and won't just use him. So, when he got back, I asked him about the photo, or why Lila would have possibly been at his house if he was so sick that he couldn't have company. He told me he hadn't had Lila over, and that photo had never happened. So I went to my mother, who knew a guy, who showed how this us a bunch of photos taken from photoshoots and social media mashed together."

"That's right!" Marc came in, "She's been telling Nathanael that since she's Ladybug's so-called best friend, that she should be the writer for us instead!" Nathanael backed away from Lila entirely,

"Marc—"

"Not now." Marc clenched his fists, "But you know who comforted me? Marinette and Adrien. So I trust them, first and foremost."

Lila roared, "You all are idiots!" She then pulled out a peacock shaped brooch that Adrien would have recognized if he was here, "Duusu—"

"I'll take that." Luka took it from Lila, and nobody had seen him come in. "You said that if we put a good word in for you to Adrien, you would get Kitty Section a record deal. Instead, our stage gets wrecked, and a certain someone is casually pointing the finger at Marinette, even though she does so much for us." He turned to her, handing her the Miraculous, "You're the most extraordinary girl, Marinette. Clear as a musical note and as sincere as a melody. You're the music that's been playing inside my head since the day we first met. I won't let anything happen to you." he bowed, "And I want you to be happy, with Adrien. You deserve each other." He looked back to Lila, who Ivan was keeping still, "And Lila is trying to hurt my friends, which is unacceptable."

"Why you—" Luka put a finger to Lila's lips,

"Shh." He looked up at Ivan, "Take her to the cellar, Ivan. She could get away if we just take her to the principal." Ivan obeyed and dragged Lila to the cellar as though she weighed nothing.

Felix came in, "Evidence delivered, police on the way."

Marinette held the peacock Miraculous in her hands, "Felix, make sure things go smoothly. I need to take care of this."

OoOoO

Huntress spotted Marinette leaving with the peacock Miraculous in hand. Nathalie and Gabriel had sensed Lila's negative emotion and immediately knew they had a chance at finding the guardian. So he akumatized her so she would follow whoever had the Miraculous, which was Marinette. She wondered where Adrien was but decided it didn't matter right now since the crazy girl was dealt with.

She followed Marinette, staying hidden since her powers were stealth, speed, and tracking, and found her entering a massage shop. Peaking in through the window, she didn't see the Ladybug kwami but did see the old man open up a gramophone and put the peacock in a box full of other Miraculouses. So this was the guardian.

"Hawk Moth, do I go in, take the box and guardian? Do you want Ms. Dupain-Cheng?"

_ "Not for now."  _ Hawk Moth replied,  _ "Just the box and the guardian. But a knock upside the head won't hurt with Ms. Dupain-Cheng." _

Following his orders, she hopped in, grabbed the guardian and the Miracle Box, and Marinette didn't even have time to blink.

She hopped into the lair window and chained the guardian to the ground. Hawk Moth smirked to the old man,

"Hello. You must be the guardian."

"And you are Hawk Moth." The guardian growled. Hawk Moth shrugged and looked in the Miracle box, his eyes twinkling with delight at all the power in the box he could use to help save his son. But he settled on the peacock again. He held it in front of the guardian's face, "Fix this."

The guardian was taken aback, "You have all that power at your fingertips, and you want me to fix just the one?" 

"Yes. Someone I love very dearly was taken from me because of this, and I don't want someone else I cherish to be taken from me too. I am on the brink of losing everything, and I want to ensure nobody will ever suffer as I have because of a broken Miraculous." The guardian was shocked by this.

"What do you want?" He demanded. Hawk Moth crossed his arms as the guardian started slowly healing the Miraculous.

"I want to use the wish to save my family. No more, no less. I don't want world domination or anything you probably think I want. I needed to drag out the heroes, and that worked wonders. Now I've dug myself too deep to surrender in exchange for assistance."

"There is a price." The guardian explained, "For every life gained, another life is taken. Peace cannot be achieved without war."

"I know. And I don't care. Maybe that's why I'm a villain because my family is the only thing that matters, and I don't care how it affects others." He held up the grimoire, "So you are going to translate this, or I will have no choice but to seek out that girl you were with. What's her name? Oh yes, Marinette." The guardian paled.

"Don't touch her."

"You have my word that I won't if you do what I say. I'm pretty sure my word means nothing to you, but I'm putting it out there." He crossed his arms, looking at his watch, "I have about five hours, but my good friend Mayura over here has all day. Please know there are missiles in here that are honed in on you and will fire if you try to escape. Not kill you, but cripple you enough that you will wish you were dead." He put a second book next to the guardian, "Get translating, old man. I may have today, but I am on a time crunch here before prices become too expensive for your liking. Right now nobody is dead, just sick. Very sick."

"That's not much better."

"I'm a villain, what do you expect from me? Now get working."

OoOoO

Lila growled in the cellar she was in. How dare they? How dare her subjects turn on her? And that Marinette brat stole her Miraculous. And Gabriel tried to give her something she was pretty sure he knew was dangerous, since Nathalie had to have been Mayura. How dare Felix go to the embassy and the police? How dare Adrien not just be hers?

Oh yes, she was going to destroy them all. And seeing as Adrien was the common link between hero and villain, she knew exactly how to do it.


	8. Chapter 8

Two months, eight weeks passed. 

Lila was in prison.

The trials and cases had taken a while since her mother was a diplomat. And her challenging age. Sixteen-year-olds were between two sentences.

From 13 to 16, minors may be sentenced. They may be sentenced to imprisonment, but the juveniles are liable to only half the sentence prescribed for adults. They cannot be remanded in custody, except if they have committed a significant offense. 

Or from 16 to 18, minors can be remanded in custody and, depending on the kind of offense they committed, the special provision for dealing with children may be set aside by the judge. 

Since she was working with a terrorist out of spite, had a reputation for causing suicides everywhere she went, was accused of stalking countless celebrities and threatening them into a relationship, and was trying to kill the Agreste children, she was obviously sentenced for at least ten years. She tried to announce Gabriel's identity, but nobody believed her, especially when Gabriel _ allowed _ a search of his house and they found nothing.

"Fine. If it means my son being safer, go ahead. I have nothing of too much importance to hide." Gabriel had said. _ Liar _. Where was he keeping that lair of his? He had to have one. 

Eight weeks had passed, which meant Adrien was fourteen weeks away from having his baby (she didn't know it was actually six weeks away).

She planned to capture Adrien, and either use him as a ransom for anything she wanted or just keep him until he birthed the child and use it to make a wish to make her queen of the world. Sure, he could die, but Lila didn't care if that got her what she wanted. Actually, the idea of him dying in agonizing pain made her excited. That was what he would get for refusing to be her boyfriend.

She had been plotting her escape for the last eight weeks, and tonight she would do it. The guards always left during Akuma attacks, so she took that time to hop out the window of her cell since she'd been loosening the bars.

The police really meant nothing around here if it was this easy. All Lila needed to do was grab Adrien, some supplies, and a place of residence, and she would be unstoppable.

OoOoO

In the eight weeks that had passed, Adrien reached the third trimester and was officially pulled out of school until the triplets were born. As his stomach got bigger and the skin got tighter, everyone feared for him. Adrien himself was done with the pain and just wanted to hold his babies in his arms.

There were more and more akumas, so Adrien was increasingly more exhausted since Felix had to take the Cat Miraculous. Sure, with Felix even the hardest fights took five minutes tops, but it was still too long, and the babies started draining Adrien of everything he had. Sass tried to help, but it didn't work all that much once he reached the third trimester.

His babies were due in six weeks. Adrien was both parts scared and excited. He'd been on bed rest the last two weeks since he literally couldn't walk without either a walker or simply being pushed in a wheelchair. His stomach was 127 centimeters around, which is massive. Healthy for a triplet pregnancy, but especially for him, it was difficult. There were nights he would sob in Marinette's arm, thinking he was about to be torn apart.

Felix was currently giving him a back massage since one of the babies was right along his spine, and it really hurt.

"Are you okay, Adrien? You're crying."

"I'm fine." Adrien muttered, "One is just trying to swim up into my lungs, another is doing a jig on my bladder, _ and _ I've been having Braxton hicks all day." He winced as he was hit with another false contraction.

Felix helped him stand, "I'll get a warm bath. Do you want warm tea or just some water?"

"Water, please." Felix set Adrien in the bath, "Marinette will be here right after school, but I can call her to come during the lunch break if you'd like."

"If she's not busy. Thanks, Fe."

Felix nodded, looking to Plagg, "I'll be back in a minute, watch over him." Plagg nodded, grabbing some soap if Adrien wanted it.

...

Felix did go to get water, yes, but since Plagg was with Adrien, that wasn't his only stop. 

"Why won't that old man just submit?!" Gabriel growled to Nathalie in the doorway, both were pacing, "I'm trying to keep my son alive, is that too much to ask?"

"Maybe we do have to bring in Ms. Dupain-Cheng." Nathalie mused. Felix gasped quietly, turning to Sass, who was with him as a means of defense from akumas when he left the house. He would switch with Adrien during akumas, but if he was far away, he needed a way of getting back.

"Sass, tell Adrien to get dressed and then scream really loud." He whispered. Sass frowned,

"Why?"

"I have a hunch, and I need them to not be in the office." Sass flew off, and Felix hid on the other side of the stairs. Ten minutes later, he heard Adrien scream and was alarmed by how raw and genuine it sounded.

Both Gabriel and Nathalie sprinted out of the office and to Adrien's side, and Felix ran into the office, going up to that observatory space, where he saw Master Fu chained to the floor, looking worse for the wear. 

"Master Fu?" He ran over and busted open the chains using his skills his father taught him. "What are you doing here?"

"The better question is, what are you doing here?"

"I live here for another six weeks." Master Fu paled, grabbing Felix's shoulders,

"Gabriel Agreste is Hawk Moth! You need to take Adrien and run!" Felix stood up, noticing the missiles ready to launch at Master Fu.

"Well, I doubt Adrien _ can _ run. But I can get him out of here. As for you..." Felix pulled out a knife, "Sorry about this," he sliced open the guardian's arm and collected some of the blood in the glass, "Get out the window." Master Fu obeyed, and Felix spilled the blood in the other direction, which worked to get the missiles in the other direction.

Felix then leaped out the window too, plummeting, but managing to catch himself on Adrien's window. He felt something in his wrist shatter. He saw his wicked uncle trying to comfort Adrien, who was clutching his stomach and crying out, and the wildness in his eyes made Felix afraid.

He used his other hand, ignoring the pain in his wrist, to knock on the window, which got the attention of everyone. Gabriel's eyes widened at how Felix was dangling. 

"RUN!" He screamed through the window, "HE'LL KILL YOU! ADRIEN, GO!"

Then he fell, landing on the grass in the guardian, but still had enough force to break multiple bones. But he was unconscious before he felt anything more than the first lash of pain.

...

"Felix!" Adrien got past the pain of what he was pretty sure were actual contractions, and used the walker to get to the window, where he could see his cousin was laying in the grass, bleeding out.

He couldn't understand what Felix had been saying, maybe why and how the hell he had gotten up there, to begin with. Whatever he had said, it had to be necessary.

"Adrien," his father tried to stop him, but Adrien shook it off. How had Felix even gotten up there? 

He managed to make his way to the garden, but it took longer than he wanted with the triplets weighing him down. According to Dr. Amaru, they were all the size of a cabbage, so that was three cabbages wriggling around, which made walking near impossible.

He finally made it to the garden, where Felix was sprawled out in the grass, blood spilling from his temple and staining the green earth around him. There was swelling along that temple as well, and a little blood from his ears.

It took a second for Adrien to get down to Felix's level, but he was doing the best he could without falling over.

He pulled out his phone and called the emergency number, subtly slipping the snake Miraculous off Felix, calling for an ambulance.

By the time the ambulance arrived, Felix was already fading, his breathing was hitched. 

Adrien sat in the ambulance, holding Felix's uninjured hand. The questions of why and how he had gotten to the roof still bothered him, but the how was relaxed with the realization Felix could do anything if he put his mind to it.

But why did he do it though?

OoOoO

Gabriel got an idea. Felix was going to ruin everything if he woke up since he seemed to have fallen directly from the lair. And when he entered the observatory and found the guardian gone, he growled. That boy was unbearably difficult, just like his father.

But then he remembered why Emilie had approached him in the first place. Felix was bipolar, dangerously so. It didn't come out often, and he was usually rather stoic, but when that depression kicked in, a suicide attempt was inevitable. A doctor would know about that. So all he had to do was force a note.

"Nathalie, I need you to forge a suicide note from Felix." Nathalie turned, understanding. One of the big reasons he had hired her was because of her power in forgery. She could convince even the person she was forging the letter from that they had written it. 

She got to work immediately, taking a second to master Felix's handwriting. Gabriel then turned to the Miracle Box in his safe. He had to find that guardian, fast. 

He grabbed the Rabbit Miraculous, "Fluff, clockwise!" He had tried each one to see what worked best with his skillset, and while the Butterfly was preferred, others worked too. 

He time-traveled back and saw the guardian escaping and Felix falling to his death. He snatched the guardian and pulled him back to the present hour, detransforming and putting him back in the lair, now closing the window and no longer allowing any light.

"Gabriel Agreste," the guardian growled. Gabriel shrugged, muttering sarcastically,

"Oh no, you caught me." He put his hands behind his back, "Did you really think you could get away?"

"You sacrificed your nephew's life to capture me again?!"

"He was a threat. And he's not dead, so I can save him. That is if you translate the grimoire to show me how." He knew he could just send Nathalie to heal him as a healer-Akuma, but the guardian didn't need to know that. And after Adrien was safe, and hopefully Emilie too, he would revive Felix from his current state. He wasn't a monster, and wouldn't actually let his troublesome nephew die. Gabriel didn't have the best relationship with Victor, but he did still care.

The guardian glared but did get to translating, since from his perspective, it was his choice whether Felix lived or died.

"Good." Gabriel left and saw Nathalie had finished. He then gave her the repaired peacock, and she transformed, planting it on the roof, making sure to weigh it down with a book, so it didn't blow away in the wind.

He linked arms with Nathalie, not realizing how intimate the gesture was, and also didn't notice her blushing. He smiled,

"You changed your hairstyle." She had been wearing it down instead of in a bun, "You look nice." She blushed even harder, smiling at him,

"Come on, sir, we should go check on Felix and Adrien."

With that, they left.

OoOoO

Marinette had spent any free time she could looking for Master Fu. He and the Miracle Box had vanished without a trace. Lila had escaped prison. Adrien was in a ton of pain most of the time. Could these two months get any worse?

Well, apparently, they could. Marinette got a call from Adrien during lunch break. He was in hysterics, and it took her a few minutes to calm him down enough so he could tell her where he was. 

She got to the hospital and feared Adrien was in labor or there had been a complication, the way he had been crying and practically screaming at the phone sent shivers down her spine.

When she got there, Adrien was sitting bedside with Felix, who was hooked up to multiple machines, and was wrapped in bandages on his arms, left leg, right temple, and along his waist.

"Adrien," he looked up at her, and she hugged him tight, "What happened?"

"I-I-I..."

"Shhh, it's okay. I've got you. Start from the beginning when you're ready."

"I don't know what happened." Adrien finally got out, "He said he was going to get water, but then Sass came in and told me to scream really loud. I had a contraction at that moment, so it was easy. Then maybe five minutes later, with father and Nathalie trying to decide if I needed to come to the hospital, Felix was dangling from my window. He screamed something at me, but I couldn't make it out. Then Felix fell into the garden. A-And now..." he wept, "After a couple hours, the doctor said Felix is in a coma from traumatic brain injury. He scored a seven on the coma test, so they don't know if he's going to wake up." He was shaking in Marinette's arms, "Why did he even go up there? There aren't stairs, since the attic isn't used for anything, so Mom had us get rid of the stairs since it got in the way of her living room design. Knowing Felix, he found a way, but _ why _?"

"Adrien..." Gabriel came in, holding a piece of paper, "The fire department investigated and found this note on the roof." He handed it to Adrien, who paled.

_ Cousin, _

_ I feel sure I am going mad again. I know we can't go through another of these terrible times. And I won't recover this time. I hear voices and can't concentrate. So I am doing what seems the best thing to do. You have given me the greatest possible happiness. You have been in every way all that anyone could be. But I can't fight any longer. I know I am destroying your life, that without me, you could find peace in your crazy life. And you will, I know. _

_ You see, I can't even write this correctly. What I want to say is I owe all the happiness of my worthless life to you. You have been wholly patient with me and incredibly kind. I want to say that, and everybody knows it. If anybody could have saved me, it would have been you. Everything has gone from me, except the certainty of your goodness. I can't go on ruining your life any longer. I might not be good enough for you; but, hey, I'm good enough for hell, don't you think? _

_ Take care of your babies for me, show them all the love neither of us was given by our fathers. _

_ Sincerely, Fe _

Adrien stared at the letter for a while. It was Felix's handwriting, there was no denying that. He wanted to deny it, oh how much he wanted to. But it was identical. 

He stared at Felix's comatose form on the hospital bed. Marinette looked at the letter and threw a hand over her mouth, then embraced Adrien gladly as he leaned on her shoulder.

Then...

"Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow. OWW!" Adrien yelped as pain ripped through his swollen midsection and the flesh visibly tensed. His eyes flickered from green to gold and back, and he screamed again.

Nathalie dove to catch Adrien as he tipped over, out of Marinette's grip. Marinette's eyes widened, and she darted off, removing her jacket and soaking it under the sink.

As Adrien breathed in short pants, he felt a cold cloth against his forehead. He looked up to see Marinette patting his face with a sympathetic smile. Her face was serene and loving, motherly even, and it made him feel as though his own mother were helping him out. She stared into his eyes and offered her hand to him, which he took gratefully.

She comforted through his pain as best she could, even though she was terrified inside. "Shhh, Adrien, the contraction's almost over."

He breathed heavily in deep full breaths through his nose as the pain continued. In minutes, Adrien was able to relax as he panted out his efforts. He sighed out his relief as sweat made down his face and chest.

"Are you alright, Adrien?" Gabriel asked, helping Marinette and Nathalie set him on the couch.

Adrien shook his head a little, "I feel like I'm having my insides ripped out. Felix is in a coma. Do I look alright to you?"

Nathalie ran off to grab Dr. Amaru, who came in with an anxious expression.

"Adrien, how often have you had true contractions?" Adrien thought about this,

"I've had Braxton hicks throughout the day, but I started having actual contractions maybe ten minutes before Felix fell." 

"Okay, I'm going to bring an OB/GYN in. Stay calm," he gestured to Gabriel and Nathalie, "Can you two come with me? Ms...?" he gestured to Marinette, "Stay with Adrien, keep him comfortable."

"What's going on?" Adrien asked worriedly, tears in his eyes, "What's wrong with my babies?"

"Nothing's _ wrong _." Dr. Amaru said softly, "But I think the stress of carrying triplets as a male has increased risk of premature birth. And Felix's condition might have been the final straw. But I'm not completely sure." He left with the adults, and Adrien held Marinette's hand, shaking.

"This can't be happening." He muttered, taking deep breaths, "They're five weeks too early." He looked to Marinette, "M'Lady, what do I do? I wasn't ready for this yet." Marinette kissed his forehead,

"Don't worry, kitty. We aren't sure this is really labor. And remember that contractions throughout pregnancy are expected, and often times happen _ weeks _ before the actual birth. Because you're male, we are more cautious. That's all. But if you really are in labor, nothing is going to move me from your side."

"Is that so? Sass, transform me!" Marinette screamed as she got something injected into her back, and she fell over lifeless. 

Adrien froze at the sight of Lila, or the snake villain she had transformed into. She must have grabbed the Miraculous from his jacket, which was discarded by Felix's bed a few feet away.

She wore a black and cyan suit with a snake texture, along with the same kind of underbelly like a snake and had a cyan-colored mask around her eyes. Her hair had turquoise streaks in it.

Adrien tried to get up, to transform, to do _ something _. He didn't know Lila had gotten out of prison! She must be here for revenge against Marinette and Felix! 

She grabbed him, squeezing his wrists painfully, before shoving a cloth in his face. Chloroform probably. So, he breathed in a moment before getting it in his face, meaning he was able to hold out for longer until another contraction hit him, and then he was out cold.

His final thought was the realization he was actually in labor because his babies would typically be reacting to this and fighting back.

OoOoO

Gabriel and Nathalie were talking to Dr. Amaru about the best course of action when they heard the loud crash, and the alarm went off. All three immediately ran to Felix's hospital room and saw the window busted open, Marinette in the ground with some sort of shot in her back, Felix remaining on the brink, and Adrien was gone. 

"Adrien!" Gabriel screamed, running to the window while Dr. Amaru called for help with Marinette. Nathalie ran to check the security footage, which didn't have audio but did have a clear view of the couch, specifically of Lila transforming and kidnapping Adrien.

She called the police about that, and Gabriel started calling all of Adrien's friends that he had been kidnapped by Lila and was in labor.

"Please..." Gabriel pleaded once he got back to the mansion and was talking to the guardian, "I will give you anything, but please save my son. He won't survive like this." The guardian softened,

"I won't be able to help, for I am too old. But my heir, Ms. Dupain-Cheng, will know what to do."

"She's been poisoned by Ms. Rossi with some sort of venom." The guardian got up, tugging on the chains,

"Take me to your kitchen, and I can make a cure for her. I trained her in midwifery for the birth, so she must be functioning for Adrien to get through this."

They went to the kitchen, and the guardian started brewing something. Gabriel hesitated,

"What do they call you? I assume you have a name. I mean, you're helping me, so I might as well know your name."

"Wang Fu." The guardian said, "Most call me Master Fu. I suppose there's no point hiding it since you know where I live and what I look like." He handed Gabriel a vial, "In exchange for this, you will surrender the moth, peacock, and every other Miraculous you have taken."

"Only if Adrien survives."

"Deal. And since Adrien will need his father, we can just have Hawk Moth disappear. And you must heal Felix Agreste, I showed you how in the translation."

"I currently have Nathalie healing him as a healing-Akuma." Fu's eyes widened, and Gabriel shrugged,

"I had to get you working somehow. Did you really think I was going to let my nephew die? He's irritating and I would rather he not live in my house, but I don't wish any harm upon him." Master Fu smiled a little,

"Maybe you're not such a terrible person."

"Nooroo and Duusu have been torturing me for the last eight weeks at random times to show me I'm a pretty terrible person. Neglectful, proud, prick, those two awoke my anxiety. And I couldn't order them to stop because then they weren't allowed to transform for some reason."

They got in the car to the hospital, and Master Fu turned,

"Who is it you were trying to save? Your wife?" Gabriel nodded a little.

"Yes. Emilie...she used the peacock and fell into an endless sleep. I just wanted to save her."

"Past tense?"

"When Adrien revealed his suspicions about being with child, I was angry, scared, and confused. Nathalie and I decided we would stop with this whole thing if the baby was born and we hadn't won. But then I started seeing Adrien's love for the children he is carrying, and I just couldn't bring myself to destroy them. Emilie wouldn't want that. I want to use the wish to ensure he survives this. I've done a terrible job the last few years at reminding him I love him, and I refuse to lose him now." The guardian put a hand on his,

"You had your family's best interests in mind. You have a long way to go, but you aren't beyond saving if you focus on that love. Forget work, and spend time with him and the triplets. The best start would be to remove modeling completly since he has been extremely concerned about his weight and your approval. Stop acting like his boss and more like his Dad."

"Why am I getting parenting advice from the same man I have kept prisoner for months?"

"Because there is a good man underneath it all, Gabriel Agreste. That man just needs to fight for dominance. That and I can tell you are on the brink of a panic attack, and I'm trying to distract you."

They arrived at the hospital, and Gabriel gave Marinette the cure for the venom but frowned when he saw Felix was still in a coma.

"What? Nathalie?" Nathalie shook her head,

"I tried, Gabriel. I healed the rest of him, but brain damage apparently takes more than magic." He sighed, both with guilt and then relief as Marinette woke up.

_ You stressed Adrien out with that letter. It was overkill, and now he's in labor. _

_ Not now, Duusu! _He knew it was Duusu since she did it at inappropriate times. She was right but now was not the time.

Marinette rubbed her back, wincing, before looking around with wild eyes. Her eyes rested on Master Fu, who nodded. She gasped,

"Adrien!" 

"We're going to find him." They all turned and saw Nino leading the entirety of Adrien's class, and some others. Kagami had her saber, and the others had various weapons. 

Marinette grinned, standing up on shaky legs, becoming a leader as Kagami handed her a saber.

"Alright, I hope you are all ready. Adrien is our friend, our sun on a rainy day, and there is no way in seven shades of hell that we are leaving him in Lila's clutches for another minute! Get into teams, and find him! Call me if you find anything at all." With that, the classmates were gone. And Marinette looked to Gabriel and Nathalie. Master Fu was nowhere to be found, so she wondered if she had actually seen him.

"I promise I will bring him home." She vowed, "Tikki, spots on!" She transformed and leaped out the window.

Nathalie looked to Gabriel, "Have we seriously had Ladybug staying at the mansion for months now and not caught on?"

"Yes, Nathalie. I think that's exactly what happened."

OoOoO

Adrien woke up and found himself in a bed in what looked to be an abandoned flat. He was dressed in one of his nightgowns, and some sweatpants. He looked around. The windows were barred, but the door didn't seem to be locked.

Plagg emerged, speaking in a whisper, "Adrien, oh thank the gods you're awake. You've been unconscious for about three hours, and have started dilating. You are definitely in labor. From what I can tell, contractions are about three minutes apart currently. Lila's on the roof patrolling to make sure nobody finds you, so we need to get out of here. There is one window in the bathroom. And yes, Lila is the one who changed your clothing."

"Okay..." Adrien managed to get up, stumbling and falling on his hands and knees, his stomach touching the floor.

He managed to grab the bed and slowly lift himself up with a grunt, but in the middle of lifting, a contraction gripped him, and he cried, "Ah! Plagg!" He tried not to be too loud and ended up biting his lip so hard it bled.

"Breathe, Adrien, breathe," Plagg comforted, rubbing his stomach.

Adrien took comfort in Plagg's tone and movements towards him and his unborn babies but groaned as it didn't make the pain go away.

This contraction seemed more painful than the few others he had experienced. When the pain reached its peak, it vanished and felt as if a weight had been lifted off his stomach as the unwelcome pressure was released.

"W-What was that?" Adrien asked, somewhat tiredly.

Plagg looked down and gasped, "Adrien, your water just broke." He looked his chosen directly in the eye, "Listen to me, Adrien, you don't have time to escape. I haven't been able to attack Lila until you order me to. Just give the word, and she's dead."

"N-No..." Adrien clutched his stomach, subconsciously removing his sweatpants, leaving him in just the nightgown, "G-Go get help...please...even if you kill Lila, I still can barely move, and I can't do this alone." He had to choke back the tears if it meant Plagg would go, "Plagg, please!" 

Plagg licked Adrien's stray tears away, "Just hang on for a little bit. I'll be back soon." He flew off, leaving Adrien alone, where he was hit by an infinitely more intense contraction. He actually did scream that time, which alerted Lila to him being awake, and she came in.

"Well, good, you're awake." She helped him back on the bed, "You're fully dilated. It won't be long now. So take a deep breath, and push."

OoOoO

Felix snapped awake, only something was wrong. 

He was sitting right next to his body, which was hooked up to a dozen machines.

"Am I dead?" He asked himself, looking around at the trashed room being cleaned by a nurse. But no, his body was still alive.

"Not yet." He jumped when he saw Master Fu, "You are in limbo. Adrien's babies banished your soul from your body as protection for them, having seen Lila's attack coming. You will return to your body when the triplets are born, which should be any minute now. But Adrien has been captured by Lila, and everyone thinks your fall was a suicide attempt."

"What?! Oh, when I get my hands on Gabriel..."

"You will do nothing since Adrien needs his father. But for now, you need to look inside houses as a ghost and find Adrien, guide his friends to him."

Felix nodded, running through the hospital and noticing he never grew tired.

_ Hang on, Adrien. _


	9. Chapter 9

Adrien managed to get himself comfortable-ish after about ten minutes of contractions. Well, that meant he was in a decent position, it did not mean he wasn't in agony.

"Fuck! Fuck, I can't do it," he said to himself quietly while Lila was getting towels, "I can't push you guys out, not like this." Adrien writhed on the bed, suffering through another contraction as his body tried to force one of his babies into the birth canal. 

Lila came in with towels and some water, forcing him to drink, and dabbing the sweat off his forehead, which was plastering his golden hair to his face.

"If you do anything to my babies," he sneered at her, "I will kill you. I will hunt you, and I will kill you, even if it means coming back from the dead. And don't think I won't find a way to do that." Lila chuckled,

"Oh Adrien, I won't hurt your babies. They're too useful for me, and will be great forces of evil." She turned away from him to grab something, "You should be proud." It was then that Adrien noticed the glass vase next to him. He shattered it over her head, knocking her unconscious 

"Okay, that worked." He got up out of bed on shaky knees, snatching back the Snake Miraculous from Lila's wrist. His belly felt more substantial than usual, and that was saying a lot. "Come on, kittens, just stay in for a little longer." He gasped as he was hit with another contraction and fell down the small flight of stairs. He thanked the babies for his invincibility; otherwise, that fall could have killed all four of them.

If the contraction he got in response to his plea said anything, his babies _ really _ wanted to be born right now. Today was sucking, horribly. Though looking at the clock, it was a quarter past midnight, so he decided yesterday had been the nightmare and today was the icing on the cake.

God, his legs were cold. The nightgown was long-sleeved and warm, but his legs were still chilly as he opened the door to the flat. Looking around, he had no idea where he was.

He weighed his options. He predicted he had half an hour's worth of energy to keep himself from pushing, and the guardian had explained that the babies could survive as long as needed until it was safe to be born. So he could just make a break for it, but that risked him giving birth in a random part of Paris or getting kidnapped by someone worse than Lila if that was even a thing. But he couldn't stay here either, because Lila would reasonably be angry about being knocked out by a vase.

Looking around, Adrien wasn't surprised to see this place belonged to someone else. Though he assumed the people who lived here were on vacation, and would later discover their house was the residence of a fugitive and her laboring hostage.

He looked to the phone attached to the wall, immediately calling the emergency number,

_ "1-1-2, what's your emergency?" _

"This is Adrien Agreste!" He gasped out, "I've been kidnapped, but I don't know where I am, and I'm in labor—GAH!" 

_ "Adrien, take deep breaths," _ the woman said, _ "We can't find you if we don't know where you are. Try to find an address or details outside that could tell us. Where is Ms. Rossi?" _

"U-Upstairs..." he panted, "I knocked her out with a vase, but I'm not sure how long that will last. But I have the Miraculous she had."

_ "How far apart are your contractions?" _

"Maybe a minute, likely less." He gasped as he was hit with another one, "I really need to push, but I won't let my children be born in danger." He looked around, "I seem to be in a flat of some sort. Lila appears to have broken in since there is nobody else here." 

_"Alright, stay calm and look for a family surname or something useful."_

Suddenly, the line fell dead. 

Lila had cut the cord with a knife.

"You think you're so smart?" She asked darkly. Adrien knew she had at least a minor concussion since she had been knocked out, so he took that to his advantage, grabbing a frying pan and going to hit her again.

Adrien would never be able to describe the relief he felt when he heard the door burst open, and at least five of Adrien's friends were standing in the doorway.

Lila's eyes widened, and she spun around, holding Adrien at knifepoint as he had another contraction,

"Move, and he's dead." She said, and Adrien growled, knowing he was too weak at this point to get away, regardless of his invincibility.

"Guys! I'm invincible as long as the babies are still in me. I'll be fine!"

Then Kagami and Nino came whirling into view, both with sabers. 

And they attacked Lila. 

Kagami expertly grabbed Adrien out of Lila's grip while Nino got the knife out of her hands. 

In the chaos of it all, Lila managed to grab the Snake Miraculous back from Adrien and transformed, only for Chloe to backflip in, pinning Lila to the ground.

It was happening so fast that Adrien could barely process it from where he was being helped to stand by Luka.

"Not bad, Lahiffe." Chloe complimented as she kicked Vipress to the ground. The villain didn't even get a chance to use her Second Chance power since these kids weren't taking any shit with their friend in danger.

"You too, Queen Bee," Nino replied, pointing the saber directly at Viperess's throat as Kagami took the Miraculous and tied her up.

"Don't you even breathe." Kagami snarled. Lila glared and tried to get up again, but Ladybug came in and knocked Lila out with Adrien's frying pan.

"G-Guys..." Adrien gasped out with tears in his eyes. They'd come for him, "You found me."

"Of course we found you, bro." Nino hugged him tight, "The police are on their way now. I'd say about twenty minutes."

"N-No...I'm going to have these babies now, and I _ refuse _ to risk Lila getting them." Ladybug then smiled a little,

"Does my place work? Would you feel safe there? It's a five minute run for me." Adrien nodded, and she passed the Snake Miraculous to Kagami, "Transform and bring Nino as you follow me. Chloe and Luka, can you make sure Lila stays put?"

"Of course I can, Ladybug." Chloe said with a flip of her hair, then her tone changed from smug to scared, "But I would rather be with Adrien." Ladybug thought about this, but then...

"Take this. I'll stay here with Lila." Felix, or a thing that looked like Felix, was standing there. He handed Chloe the Bee Miraculous, and the Turtle to Nino. "Luka, stay here with me, since I'm not here enough to keep her down if she runs, but I can keep an eye on her and keep her still."

"F-Felix?" Felix turned,

"I'm okay, Adrien. When your babies are born, I'll come out of my coma. Lila did this to me, I promise it wasn't a suicide attempt." That made Adrien relax a little more, but this led to one of the babies dropping into place. He yelped and was swept into Queen Bee's arms.

"Lead the way, Ladybug. I can carry him."

Cobra nodded, "As much as I want to support Adrien, I'll stay here with Luka and Felix."

"I'll run and get supplies. Just give me a location, and I'll meet you there."

"The Dupain-Cheng bakery." Queen Bee gasped,

"You said...Dupain-Cheng!?" Ladybug nodded,

"Yes, but that's not the concern right now. Adrien, just wait five minutes, and you can start pushing."

"O...Okay..." he was losing energy very quickly, whimpering quietly in Queen Bee's arms.

The run felt much longer than it actually was, with Ladybug jumping in through the skylight, followed by Queen Bee, who set Adrien down gently on the chaise lounge once Marinette put sheets down on it.

"Are you sure you know what you're doing, Dupain-Cheng?" Chloe asked sternly, "Ladybug or no, I will not let Adrien die because of your incompetence. I took a midwife class just in case something like this happened."

"Fortunately, Chloe, I trained with someone who knew how to handle this pregnancy specifically." She put on some rubber gloves, and Chloe did the same. Marinette frowned at Chloe,

"Are you sure you want to risk staining your designer clothes? There's probably going to be blood." Chloe crossed her arms,

"Clothes are replaceable, Adrien isn't. What do you need me to do, Ladybug?"

"I need you to get warm water, cold washcloths, and get a small tub ready to clean the babies." Adrien cried out as he was hit with another contraction.

Nino came running in with more supplies, giving some to Chloe and running to Adrien's side and let his brother hold his hand.

"Are you ready?" Nino asked, "You're finally gonna get to push."

Adrien shook his head, grabbing Nino's wrist tightly as another contraction took hold. Tears streamed down his face, mouth open in a silent scream. He started to bear down without realizing it; he just wanted it to be over.

"Adrien! Adrien, you have to breathe! Adrikins!" Chloe shouted in panic. She tried to catch his frantic gaze as it darted around the room as if Adrien were looking for an escape. His face turned a deep shade of red as he gripped Nino's wrist tighter, grinding the bones together painfully.

"Chaton, listen to Chloe. You need to breathe if you're going to bring your kids into the world." Marinette's loving voice cut through the fear that had taken over Adrien.

Adrien let out the breath he'd been holding in a ragged sob, sucking in huge gulps of air. He collapsed against Nino, face red as he tried to catch his breath. "I don't know if I can do this, Bugaboo." It was at that moment that Chloe and Nino realized who Adrien was, but neither let that realization distract them.

Nino wrapped his arms around Adrien, grounding his brother. "Of course you can do this, Adrien. You just have to believe that you can."

Marinette nodded, "Now on the next contraction, I want you to push. Are you ready?"

Adrien gripped Nino's biceps for support. "No, but let's do this."

"I need you to take a deep breath and push down when you feel a contraction." Chloe's voice was calm and steady as she held Adrien's gaze.

The only response she got from Adrien was a pained groan, and Nino got a tightening of the grip on his arms as Adrien started to bear down. This was when Sabine and Tom came up, gasping at what was going on.

"You're doing great, Chat." Marinette assured, "Push with the contraction, use the pain. I'm right here with you, just remember that." She murmured soft words of encouragement to him, hoping that Adrien could hear her through the pain.

Chloe looked to Sabine and Tom, "Call the hospital and tell them Adrien is giving birth, right now. They probably won't get here in time, so let them know they will need to prepare for three infants." Tom left, but Sabine stayed, dabbing the sweat off Adrien's brow since Nino was getting his hands crushed in Adrien's iron grip.

Adrien let out a short, pained scream as he gave another push as the contraction intensified. He could feel the baby's head slowly sliding down his channel and beginning to stretch his opening as he grunted through the end of the contraction. "Oh god! It hurts!"

"You can do this, Adrien. You're doing so great. I love you." Marinette's confession brought a tired smile to Adrien's face. 

Suddenly, Plagg appeared as Adrien started to glow a little bit. "Whoa! Looks like magic itself is preparing to welcome the kittens." Tikki nodded,

"It truly is a fantastic sight. This means the babies are exceptional in the magical community."

Adrien spread his knees farther apart as another contraction took hold and he pushed again, a long keening cry filling the room as the head lodged in his opening at the widest point. "Oh god, it burns!"

"The head's out, Adrien," Chloe said as Marinette was working, "There are three things we need to do now. Adrien, you need to breathe through the contractions and resist the urge to push. Otherwise, you're going to tear yourself. Dupain-Cheng, you need to massage the skin of Adrien's opening and help the baby's head the rest of the way out. And once the head is out, I need to check to make sure the cord isn't wrapped around the baby's neck."

Adrien groaned as he tried his damnedest not to push, even though every fiber of his being was telling him that was the right thing to do and that he had already waited too long while in Lila's clutches. 

Chloe was speechless as she placed shaking fingers against the baby's skull, with Marinette massaging the stretched skin of Adrien's opening around it. She couldn't believe he was doing this; holding her goddaughter or godson in her hand as her best friend brought them into the world.

Chloe watched the baby's head emerge inch by inch as the contracting muscles of Adrien's body guided it into her waiting hand. Her fingers slipped briefly into Adrien's opening, and she couldn't help the sigh of relief that left her when she didn't encounter the umbilical cord. 

Marinette took over again, "Okay, Minou, the baby's head is out. It's safe for you to push again. You're going to need to push hard to get the shoulders out."

Adrien nodded, letting out a long breath. He pushed with all his might, grunting like an animal as the shoulders slowly began to pass from him. He let out a guttural shout, and Chloe was scrambling to catch the small body that slipped from him.

"You did it, Adrikins! You did it!" Chloe gasped in glee as she reached to her side and grabbed the bulb to clear the baby's airways. She quickly went to clean and dry the glowing, bloody baby, a happy sob escaping her throat as an unhappy cry filled the room. She wrapped the child in one of Marinette's blankets and a cotton hat.

"I knew you could do it, Adrien. You're so strong," Nino remarked, his voice thick with tears. Sabine smiled, kissing Adrien's forehead,

"I'm going to get your father, he'll want to be here for this." She ran off, and Adrien looked to Chloe.

"Wh-What is it?" He asked as he collapsed into Nino's arms sweat-soaked hair sticking to his forehead.

"It's a girl! Adrien, you have a beautiful little daughter. Do you want to hold her?" Chloe held the child out to him. Adrien nodded, shakily holding out his arms so Chloe could transfer his daughter to him.

Looking at her, he fought back the tears. She was small, hardly the size or weight of a small melon, but she was perfect. Little marble-sized fists were pressed against her cheeks. Her pale green eyes looked up at him curiously, and he saw the core of gold surrounding her pupils. Her hair was long, shockingly long for a newborn, reaching her shoulders like a baby in a Disney movie. It was golden blonde, just like his own, except for a singular very apparent black streak running through her hair.

"Hey Ava, I'm your dad. You know how to make an entrance, don't you, princess? You weren't supposed to come for another month. You're going to be a troublemaker when you're older, aren't you?" He said softly, smiling down at his daughter. 

"Ava?" Nino looked down at the little baby, who blinked sleepily, "Perfect. Ava Emilie Agreste." Adrien nodded, and for a moment, everything was perfect, looking down at his darling baby girl.

Then one of the other babies decided they wanted a piece of love.

"Fuck," Adrien panted, passing Ava to Nino. He would generally avoid cursing around his newborn, but he was in too much pain to care as of now. His hands were both on his belly, muscles tight with a contraction and Adrien squeezed his eyes shut to fight against pushing until Marinette cleared him to do so. Hours spent writhing, holding back against his body's need to push had left him with waning energy, but a burst of energy came after looking at Ava and knew he had to see the other two as well. 

Marinette rested one palm on Adrien's knee. "Okay, Chat. It's time to push. I'll be right here." 

Gabriel ran in, "Where is my son?!" He froze at the sight before him. The blood-soaked sheets, two teenage girls were looking up Adrien's nightgown, and the baby girl making noises in Nino's arms. 

"Father?" Adrien looked up, startled, "What are you doing here? I thought..."

"You thought anything would stop me from being there for my son? Well, you thought wrong." He sat down next to Adrien, who leaned in for warmth and comfort immediately. He let out a choked sob. There was something wonderful about being held like this by his father as though he mattered.

Adrien had only a few moments to wait before his muscles tensed, and he closed his eyes tightly as he tucked his chin to his chest and pushed. Bearing down, he felt the second baby's head slowly entering the birth canal, could feel the slow widening to accommodate its passage. He let out a low, long grunt as he pushed, and let up when Marinette murmured for him to take a break. Nino was fashioning a makeshift bassinet in a drawer for Ava at the moment.

"That's it, Adrien, that's good." Chloe encouraged, grabbing more towels, "We need to get this one out in the next three pushes, okay? Push. Push hard, yes! Good, very good," Adrien yelled, throat hoarse, clinging to his father desperately as he pushed, and panted shallowly when the contraction released. 

"Baby's crowning." Marinette grinned, "The head's crowning, you're doing so well." 

Adrien nodded, head back against Gabriel's chest, and breathed a little deeper as he waited for the next contraction to come. When it did, he gave a roar, pushing hard to try and get the head out in the next push. Marinette slid her fingers down alongside the baby's head, in the small gap between the skull and Adrien's skin, to help stretch as Adrien pushed. Millimeter by millimeter, the head emerged, little eyes and chubby cheeks and tiny ears and scrunched nose and pouty lips and as the chin passed, Adrien stopped straining and heaved several breaths, looking at his partner through half-lidded eyes. 

Marinette cleared her throat, tearing up slightly as she gave Adrien a brief report. "Beautiful. Dark hair, somehow. Almost like a black-violet. Let's call it raven hair." She was flustered and a little overwhelmed, he could tell since she was rambling. But she was taking it like a champ. Marinette cupped the baby's head in the palm of one hand and reached for the bulb with another. 

Adrien nodded and started again almost immediately to push, grunting that turned to crying as the shoulders began to emerge. 

"That's it, that's it, keep going, Adrien," Gabriel murmured, a chant, a mantra as his son labored. The comforting words faded to white noise as Adrien pushed, and then all at once, everything came to a stop, and he felt relief. 

And then the second baby cried. 

Chloe cleaned the child, and the team found themselves in a new system. Adrien had the babies, Marinette was midwife, Chloe cleaned them, Nino got them comfortable, and Gabriel was there as a hand to squeeze and a shoulder to cry on. Nathalie arrived too and started standing behind Gabriel for some reason.

"A boy!" Chloe announced, "Adrien, you have a son!" Adrien took his son and gasped,

This one looked nothing like either Adrien or Ava. There wasn't a shred of Gabriel either. No, this one looked like a darker version of what Nooroo would look like human, not that Adrien knew this since he had never seen the Butterfly kwami.

The baby boy had raven-violet hair, and eyes so deep blue they too were violet, with flecks of silver like starlight. He did have Adrien's tan skin though.

"Please name him Rhysand." Felix appeared, still as a ghost, looking at the child wrapped in shadows, "Seriously, I will pay you _ anything _ to name this child Rhysand."

"Rhysand Hugo Agreste..." Adrien shrugged, "Sounds fun. Hello Rhysand." Rhysand cooed, and Adrien had no idea why Felix wanted the baby to have that name, but seeing as Felix was the ghost here, he didn't see a good reason to refuse him.

"Nice, two down, one to go." Adrien chuckled,

"Just my luck, there's going to be a fourth."

Gabriel narrowed his eyes, "Don't even joke. Are you trying to give me a heart attack?"

"Maybe that would be a good thing." Felix snapped, and Gabriel gave his nephew a dark look, even though he knew he deserved it.

"Rhysand and Ava." Nino and Rhysand were staring at each other, "You both might be prettier than your Dad." Adrien turned to look back at his brother,

"I hope not, because then they'll be expected by society to model." He frowned, looking up at his father, "You know, of all the ways I imagined this birth going, _ this _ never came up. Kidnapped and then giving birth in my other half's bedroom surrounded by my friends and chaos and a ghost." He winced at the contraction, but then sat up to look at Marinette, "Marinette, is something wrong? I feel like I should be pushing, but it also feels like something is blocking the baby." Marinette nodded her agreement at his statement,

"Gabriel, I need you to feel the top of Adrien's stomach." Gabriel obeyed, and his eyes widened,

"Christ, this one's turned the wrong way." Chloe immediately sprung into action, placing both hands on Adrien's stomach,

"Adrien, stay calm, deep breaths." Adrien was started to hyperventilate, terrified now. The full moonlight was shining in through the window, giving Adrien a spirit-like look. It was just the lighting, Gabriel told himself, and not some crazy premonition. All things considered, Adrien was doing really well, phenomenal in his circumstance.

"Alright, on the next contraction, I'm going to start turning the baby." Chloe said calmly, "Dupain-Cheng, get ready. Adrien, relax your muscles, it will make this easier." Adrien nodded and squeezed his father's arm on the contraction, and Chloe slowly turned the child, happy tears spilling down her face and ruining her makeup. "It's working!"

"Perfect!" Marinette checked him, "Know what time it is Adrien?"

"About three in the morning?" She let herself laugh at his joke, which meant he was feeling a little better. She could tell from the look in his eyes that he knew it was time to push.

His father still sat at Adrien's side, hovering over him, and clutching his hand tightly. Nathalie still hovered over him, and Adrien didn't know why. But it quickly became evident. The next contraction came, and Adrien began to scream.

"Push!" Marinette shouted. Adrien pushed with everything he had, grounding himself with the grip he had on his father. But then his grip went slack as Gabriel passed out. That was why Nathalie had been hovering.

Nathalie caught him before he hit the ground, pulling him up to rest against her own chest.

"Gabe, by god, you had better wake up," Felix yelled, trying to kick him but instead going straight through him. "I did not run through countless houses and eventually find Adrien for the others, and Adrien isn't about to birth your grandchild with more strength than every other asshole here combined, for you to lie on the floor. I _ cannot _ deal with four babies in this room right now."

And at Felix's words, Gabriel came to. And when he did, it was Adrien's calm and collected father, not labor-panic father, who emerged from the fog. His eyes were bright and focused and ready to help. He stood and took Adrien's hand just as the next contraction came. He held Adrien's hand and smoothed his hair as Marinette again shouted for him to push, and he again began to scream.

Unlike the other two, this one was taking its sweet time to be born. While the others took maybe ten minutes to be born, it had now been close to an hour.

Adrien cried when he finally heard the small wail when the baby emerged, and Marinette cut the cord and immediately passed the infant to Chloe, who cleaned the baby of the blood and fluid covering it.

"It's another girl," Chloe said, breathless.

Nino let out a disbelieving laugh, his eyes alight. The baby continued to cry as the first full minute passed. Once she was completely clean, had a diaper on, and wrapped, they wasted no time in giving her to Adrien.

He took her in his arms and felt at once complete. She had a button nose, adorably scrunched in her crying. Her hands were small, so small. Her hair was pale blonde, and she had grey eyes, which had a core of gold, just like Ava. The girls must have been the ones who took control of him most of the time. 

"Selene." He said, "Kyra Selene Agreste." He looked outside, where the sun was just starting to come up, she had taken two hours to be born. She was born right between day and night, so her name would say such.

Felix blinked out of existence, returning to his body.

Suddenly, he felt extremely dizzy and felt himself falling slack in his father's arms, his grip loosening on the baby.

Plagg immediately appeared from where he had been hiding from Gabriel, "Adrien! Kitten, stay with us!" Gabriel didn't even notice the cat kwami, because he was preoccupied with something else.

Adrien was losing blood. A lot of blood.


	10. Chapter 10

Marinette was immediately on her feet while Chloe tried to find and stop the source of the bleeding. 

"It won't stop! He's hemorrhaging!" She was panicked, and Marinette grabbed the comforter off her bed, wrapping Adrien in it.

"Chloe, grab the triplets and bring them to the hospital. I'll take Adrien. Spots On!" 

"Here," Plagg tapped Adrien's cheek. His eyes were half-open, barely there, "Hey, kitten, can you transform? It will help."

"Claws...out..." it was barely a whisper before Adrien's eyes rolled into the back of his head as the transformation covered him. Gabriel's eyes were wide in horror as he stared at Chat Noir, no longer awake.

Ladybug sprinted to the hospital, her partner in her arms. Every second that passed was another with him slipping further away. He had been doing so well, why did the bleeding start? He,  _ miraculously _ , didn't tear, so did something inside tear while getting Kyra in the right position?

Landing in the hospital, Plagg released the transformation, and Ladybug burst in,

"DOCTOR! WE NEED A DOCTOR!" She shrieked, and paramedics ran in with a stretcher, taking Adrien, while some nurses took the triplets to weigh them and such.

It was six hours before they got any news. Mr. Damocles let the entire school have the day off since nobody who even bothered to go was focusing, all weighting on the verdict for Adrien and the triplets.

Marinette went to the bakery and brought lunch for everyone in the waiting room, and coffee too since none of them had slept. The entire birth took five hours, and that was after four hours of desperately searching for Adrien, and now another six hours of fearing for his life. This had been the longest fifteen hours of their lives.

Dr. Amaru came out with his head bowed, and everyone feared that they would hear Adrien died in childbirth.

"A-Adrien?" Gabriel asked cautiously. Dr. Amaru sighed,

"He's alive...for now. The hemorrhage was from his organs readjusting, and the afterbirth was his entire womb, which is the culprit of most of the bleeding. He's getting blood transfusions now. We lost him a few times but were able to pull him back; he's a fighter, that one."

"Can we see him?" Nino asked. Dr. Amaru shook his head,

"We've put him in the same room as Felix, in the ICU. No more than four visitors, and I recommend those people be his family for if the worst happens. If he wakes up, he will decide how many visitors he's ready for."

"What about the triplets?" Rose asked eagerly, "Are they okay?" That brought a smile to the doctor's face,

"They are all perfect. Shockingly healthy for how premature they are, even for triplets. It's a miracle, each one is about four pounds, which is quite significant for triplets, and they will be able to leave the hospital when their Daddy does. Still, it's against hospital policy to let anyone except the family hold or see them until given permission of the parent."

Most of the class got up, knowing they weren't welcome. Alya grabbed Marinette's arm,

"Get some pictures for the blog, because of course, you're welcome."

"Alya, no." Marinette replied, "I respect that Adrien said he wasn't comfortable with the paparazzi seeing his children. We already have police surrounding the place to ensure Nadja Chamack doesn't get in." Alya groaned but left with the rest of the class.

Gabriel looked like he had been to hell and back, exhausted and emotionally drained. He held a hand out to Marinette,

"I can think of nobody Adrien would want by his side than you." Sighing, she followed him to Adrien's hospital room, afraid of what she was going to see. It clearly wasn't going to be pretty. She entered the hospital room, and her breath hitched.

Adrien was unconscious, not asleep, and both she and Gabriel could tell because he lay as still as a brick on his back, while he normally slept on his side. The only movement was the slight rise and fall of his chest. It was hard to imagine that this was the same boy that she had raced through Paris with time and time again. His expression was slightly pained, even in sleep. His skin was ashen, not grey, but had lost the tan color or the rosy tint on his cheeks. 

Gabriel fell to his knees at Adrien's bedside, sobbing and clinging to his son's hand, begging him to wake up.

Marinette looked around the room and saw that Felix still hadn't come out of his coma. He was supposed to have. Why wasn't he awake?

The triplets were in a hospital-bassinet together. There were three, but all the babies were in one. They must have floated together, now all very peaceful. 

"Please Adrien," Gabriel begged, "I'll do anything, just wake up. Stay alive." Plagg curled up in Adrien's hair, weeping quietly.

Tikki emerged, "Adrien will be okay," she promised, "I don't know when he'll wake up. But he will." Gabriel looked up,

"How do you know? Did you not see how much blood he lost? At least four liters!" 

"His body is trying to process what just happened, and returning to normal after the birth. He's just recovering."

"Fine." Gabriel muttered, "But that doesn't stop me from worrying."

OoOoO

Five days had passed.

Neither Adrien or Felix had woken up. 

Hell, Felix, the coma patient, was predicted to wake up sometime that week since he had started improving drastically since the triplets' birth.

Gabriel hadn't left Adrien's side once, fearing that if he even slept, he would wake up to the news that his son was dead.

The babies were doing remarkably well, but he had become tiresome since they were either glowing or making things float or making themselves float most of the time. Adrien didn't lactate, so they were fed that powder junk.

"Where is Felix?" Gabriel froze at that voice, turning to see his older brother, Victor, standing behind him.

Victor was four years older than Gabriel. He had silver-white hair, matching his eyes, which were so silver they were almost glowing. He had a white dress shirt underneath a silver vest. He wore grey dress pants and white shoes. Gabriel wasn't entirely sure his brother knew what a color scheme was.

"He's right there." Gabriel gestured to Felix, who was still comatose. He responded to stimuli, but it took a lot to get him to react. According to Master Fu, who pretended to be a doctor to check-in, brain trauma couldn't be cured, and while he had been mostly healed by Nathalie and the swelling was going down thanks to the triplets, it was unknown if he would ever be the same.

Victor sat down with Felix, looking him over, "This wasn't a suicide attempt. Felix has warning signs when he's about to..."

"I know." Gabriel turned his chair to face his brother, "The police found signs of struggle and Felix himself in the brief moment of awareness confirmed Lila Rossi grabbed him and shoved him off the roof to make it look like a suicide."

"So is she back in prison?"

"No." Gabriel growled, "Slimy bitch got away again. Literal teenagers can hold this dangerous criminal longer than the police can. Adrien  _ in labor _ was able to handle her better than the police. So now she's out there, and my grandchildren are in danger just by existing." He gestured to the triplets, who were thankfully behaving and not using their powers.

Victor was quiet, and Gabriel wanted desperately to shout, to scream, to remind him why they were estranged. That knife that twisted, that betrayal.

Victor looked up, "Was Felix any trouble for you?" Yes, he was, but if Gabriel said that, it would expose his identity as Hawk Moth. And he wasn't that bad.

"Little smart for his own good, but he was very accommodating with Adrien. I doubt things would have gone even close to smoothly without him."

"Good." Victor brushed Felix's hair behind his ear, "Too elegant." It was true, even in his dead-like state, Felix still had the aura of elegance and grace, which just proved this wasn't some suicide, nor was it an accident. And without the annoying expression, Felix was just as attractive as Adrien. 

"You know, Victor," Gabriel muttered, finally letting out some of his pent up rage, "What if this had been suicide? What would you do? How do you handle Felix's episodes?" Victor froze as he realized where this was coming from.

"I do what I can. Since his mother surrendered custody, taking care of Felix is not the easiest to raise."

"So have you told him he might as well kill himself and then left your sobbing son to go throw himself off a bridge?" Victor turned,

"Are you seriously not over that? It was thirty years ago!"

"Have you ever given me a reason to think you didn't mean it?!" Gabriel snapped, "I was fifteen, our parents were dead, and you were all I had! Do you know how hard it was to open up to you?! If it weren't for Nathalie, I would have died in the river that night!"

Victor was silent, "Now is not the time, Gabby. Both of our children are on the brink, and you are a grandfather. How about you just let it go."

"How about I have refused to let that Akuma heal Felix." Victor turned,

"What did you just say!?" 

"Guys!" Marinette came in, "Take it outside, whatever hate you have. Talk it out. Outside. It's bad for both your sons and the babies." Sighing, both men left.

And Marinette found herself staring into a pair of green eyes.

"Are they gone?" Adrien asked, blinking a couple times. Marinette gasped, tears starting to fall, as Adrien sat up and drank from the water at his bedside.

"A-Adrien! How long have you been awake?"

"About five minutes. I heard shouting or something, I think it was my babies telling me it was time to wake up." He then gasped, looking down at his postpartum stomach, and back to Marinette, "The babies!"

"They're perfect." She assured, grabbing the three, and giving them to Adrien, who wept with joy as he gazed upon his infants.

"Hey babies," Ava gripped onto his ring finger with her entire hand. Plagg was gazing at the little trio in awe,

"This is the first time they've been truly calm." 

Then, they both heard noises and saw Felix was awake on his own bed, but he was hooked up to many machines and had a tube down his throat.

Marinette ran out into the hallway, "Doctor! Adrien and Felix are awake!" Both Victor and Gabriel stopped their shouting match and came running in. Dr. Amaru started slowly pulling the tube out of Felix's throat and gave the young man some water.

Gabriel ran to Adrien, frantically kissing his forehead, "Oh Adrien, I was so scared I lost you!" Adrien laughed a little,

"Oh father, you won't get rid of me that easily. I'm like a splinter: once I'm here, it's like hell to get me to go away." Gabriel cried and held Adrien tightly. Victor clapped Felix on the shoulder, glad that his son was awake.

"Everything's going to be okay now," Marinette announced, and for the first time, everyone believed her.

OoOoO

Three months passed, Adrien and Felix got out of the hospital. The triplets got comfortable in the nursery. Felix had decided to stay in Paris for whatever reason, instead of going back to New York with his father. 

Adrien grinned as he saw Felix bouncing Rhysand in his lap,

"Who's my little Illyrian warrior?" He asked the baby playfully, earning a gleeful squeal from the child. Ava and Kyra were doing "tummy time" on their mat, watching their brother with smiles.

"So how are my angels liking Uncle Felix?" He asked the babies. Kyra rolled onto her back and grabbed her feet in response. Ava just stared, likely ignoring the question in favor of looking at the ceiling fan. 

Felix gasped, holding up Rhysand, "He is not an angel. He is a warrior. Lord of Night! Death Incarnate!" Rhysand just giggled in a way only a small baby could. 

Nathalie came in, "Adrien, Ladybug is here to see you." It was probably about the fact his maternity leave was up.

He walked downstairs, and Ladybug was waiting for him. She usually came as Marinette, but it was serious when she arrived as her superhero counterpart.

"M'Lady," he greeted. She smiled,

"Hey, Chat. We have a situation."

"Oh?"

"Remember how Hawk Moth surrendered two months ago? Yeah, well apparently Lila took that opportunity and stole the peacock Miraculous. Master Fu kept the rest of the Miracle Box a...way from her, but at the cost of his own life. I'm the guardian now. So...Adrien...are you ready to come out of retirement?"

Adrien froze, "Bugaboo...I'm a new father! I'm still not comfortable leaving my babies alone."

"They won't be alone." Nathalie assured, "They have me, your father, the Gorilla, and Felix."

"Actually," Marinette held out the Fox Miraculous, "Since Alya has become too untrustworthy, I was thinking about giving the Fox to Felix, as a permanent hero."

"Sweet." Felix slid down the railing, still holding Rhysand, who vanished from his arms and appeared in Adrien's arms. The baby clapped, trying to grab the necklace to gum at.

"Fe, are you really okay with that?" Adrien asked, earning a shrug from his cousin,

"Might as well. After all, I am a pretty great superhero. Sentimonsters beware." Adrien noted that Felix was either at the really happy stage of bipolar, or he had finally come out of his shell.

Adrien looked to his father, who had a rather odd expression, "I won't be out very often, because I have a duty as a father. But," he bowed to Ladybug, "I am at your service, M'Lady."

OoOoO

Lila walked through a magical market, Duusu floating beside her.

"What are we gonna do now, Lila?" The little kwami asked excitedly, "We can cause more chaos, oh it's so fun!" 

"Patient, Duusu." She said calmly, "I just need to make a quick stop, and the chaos will begin." She went up to a Hawker Demon, which was meant to retrieve magical goods.

"What do you want, little girl?" The demon looked like a middle-aged man, but his eyes held much more. Lila threw a bag of euros she had stolen at him.

"I will pay you, and you will bring me Adrien Agreste  _ or _ his children." The demon nodded, and Lila left the market, returning to her flat on the far end of Paris.

"Why did you need that?" Duusu asked. Lila smirked,

"If we can't get one of his kids, you and Plagg could always create another Twice Blessed. Either way, I am satisfied. I'll just use the sentimonsters as a distraction, and nothing will stop me now."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There will be a sequel to this, with the actual raising of the triplets and Lila as the main villain. And Victor and Gabriel still have not talked through their differences, but will talk more in the next installment.


End file.
